


What are the odds

by Delilah2040



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Captain Ennoshita Chikara, Cute Yamaguchi Tadashi, F/F, First Kiss, Gen, Happy Ending, Hinata Shouyou & Kozume Kenma Friendship, Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, Hurt Hinata Shouyou, Hurt Yamaguchi Tadashi, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Azumane Asahi, Kageyama Tobio is Bad at Feelings, Long-Suffering Ennoshita Chikara, Long-Suffering Sawamura Daichi, Love Confessions, M/M, Nervous Azumane Asahi, Nishinoya Yuu & Tanaka Ryuunosuke are Bros, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Protective Kageyama Tobio, Protective Sugawara Koushi, Protective Tsukishima Kei, Sad, Sad Nishinoya Yuu, Sad Yamaguchi Tadashi, Sad with a Happy Ending, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Sugamama, Tanaka Ryuunosuke is a Good Friend, Team Bonding, Team Feels, Team Mom Sugawara Koushi, Team Parents Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Volleyball, deadchi, no one dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 33,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26586787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delilah2040/pseuds/Delilah2040
Summary: The team gets into an accident. People get hurt, people worry. They somehow make the best of a bad situation
Relationships: Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu, Ennoshita Chikara/Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Implied Relationships:, Kinoshita Hisashi/Narita Kazuhito, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Tanaka Saeko & Tsukishima Akiteru, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 301
Kudos: 633
Collections: maazeesfavs, maazesfini





	1. Chapter 1

Nowadays, the probability of being in a motor-related incident is low, approximately one in 103 kinds of low. unfortunately, low probability does not equal no probability. This is something the Karasuno team learnt the hard way on one fateful Friday night.

"I can't believe Takeda-senpai is actually letting you drive the bus back," Sugawara Koushi says with an angelic chuckle from his place in between the other two third years as they make their way to said bus.

"Honestly, neither can I," Daichi replies swinging the keys carefully around his pointer finger. From the look the tallest of the three was giving him, he still wasn't being careful enough.

"I want to sit by the window seat this time!" a familiar shout echoes out from in front of them.

"Dumbass, you sat in the window seat last time! it's my turn!" An equally familiar response can be heard just as loud.

"I said I wanted it first!" Hinata shouts.

"So? idiot!"

"Asshole!"

"Dumbass-"

"Oh, will you shut up already," Tsukishima's monotone voice interrupts the two other first-years fighting. Normally he would let them go on for far longer but he, like everyone else, was tired and apparently out of patience.

Still, no one bothers to suggest the pair split up so that they can both have window seats.

Daichi wishes he could say that once they started driving, things quietened down. Unfortunately, that was not the case. They had been driving for an hour and a half and still, no one but Asahi was asleep, an anomaly when compared to all the other times they had driven back from games. Instead, everyone was invigorated with a boost of sleep-deprivation-induced energy. Daichi had no idea how that worked.

In the very back of the bus, the second years were laughing loudly, Tanaka leaning far enough out of his seat that Daichi wondered if he was even wearing a seatbelt. All five of them looking far too awake after such a long day.

In the seats in front of them, the first years had clustered together in a smaller group, something that was becoming more common as the year went past. Hinata and Kageyama's arguments could still be heard above all the noise of the bus every now and then, as could Tsukishima's rude remarks and Yamaguchi's sweet giggles. Still, the for of them remained together, despite what an outsider would view as distaste for one another.

In fact, Daichi was sure he could see them all holding cards in the reflection of the mirror as his eyes flicked from the road for a second.

In the seat beside him, his vice-captain was sitting, occasionally twisting in his seat to engage in conversation with the rest of the team, even if it meant having to literally shout across the entire bus. Daichi couldn't help the warmth in his chest as Suga's eyes lit up and a loud laugh escapes his lips at something Yamaguchi had just shouted to him.

Directly behind him, and out of his view, he knew Asahi was curled up, as small as he physically could be on the two-person seat, fast asleep. No one questioned how the teams ace was able to sleep through the current ruckus on the bus.

All was well, for the first hour and a half, and then it started raining.

Ordinarily, this wouldn't be an issue, but going around a mountain with some sharp turns, it was mildly terrifying. More so when the rain got so heavy that Daichi could hardly see, and again when flashes of lightning started to light up the sky far too close for comfort.

"It's okay, everything is going to be fine," the team captain calls out flicking his eyes to his rearview mirror and seeing how everyone had grown more aware of the storm. Tanaka was still out of his seat, something Suga shouted at him for, but now the rest of the second years were worriedly looking out the windows. Hinata had taken to basically crawling into Kageyama's lap in order to get a better look outside through the window. Or at least, that's what he would claim he was doing.

Tsukishima was uncharacteristically quiet and pale, sitting in the aisle seat and pointedly avoiding looking outside while Yamaguchi appeared to be whispering comforting words to his best friend. Asahi's head had popped up above the seats and the other two third years could basically hear the nervous ramblings and anxiety building in his head.

Daichi's eyes flick back to the road in front of him just as a bolt of lightning hit the side of the cliff not too far up the road. He tried to break but even at the lower speed he was driving, he knew they weren't doing to be able to stop before they collide with the large boulders and rocks that were now tumbling onto the road.

The tires were already slipping on the wet asphalt below, and in a last attempt to minimise the impact and prevent them all from getting crushed, Daichi turns the wheel sharply.

They go over the edge.

Everything goes black.


	2. Chapter 2

Takeda waved to the back of the bus as it pulled out of the motel they were staying at, Yachi at his side mimicking his actions, while Kiyoko stood on the other side of her, clipboard clutched between her hands and a small almost imperceivable smile on her face. Ukai stood on the other side of the teacher, arms crossed and a smug look on his face.

"I can't believe you actually let them drive themselves," The other man says causing the teachers' jaw to drop in shock.

"It was your idea! You said to let them be teenagers and have some fun!"

"I didn't think you'd agree to it!" the coach laughs but at seeing the way the blood seemed to drain from the man's face he added, "They'll be fine, I mean Daichi is one of the most responsible kids I've met,"

With a decisive nod, the four of them turn to finish packing so they themselves can head home too. None of them notice the dark storm clouds brewing in the night sky.


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing that enters his consciousness is light. The bright headlights of the bus illuminating the space around even through the heavy rain. The second was pain as Yamaguchi shifts and has to hold back a scream as an unimaginable pain shoots through his foot.

After a second of careful breathing through his nose, he opens his eyes to look around him. The windows all around had been shattered, The only evidence of their existence being the shards of glass impaling him and his teammates. He could see the way the bus had wrapped itself around the large tree causing the metal to curve in, almost close enough to press against his best friends lip arm. Carefully he tries to sit up.

"Tsukki?" He asks quietly, as if he could excuse the chance of him not getting a response as a result of being too quiet as opposed to the far more grim and terrifying alternative possibility. Thankfully, he gets a groan in response.

whimpering behind him draws his attention to his two classmates, the shorter being held tight to the tallers chest while Kageyama's hand covered the back of Hinata's head, wrist already swelling from his attempts to protect the other boy. He watches as they both pry their eyes open, breath held in anticipation.

"Kag'yama," Hinata groans pulling away. Half a second later his eyes go wide with realisation of what happened, another and they will with fear and dread. Not two seconds after that, Yamaguchi watches as the shorter boy frantically checks his friend for injuries, Kageyama halfheartedly trying to push him away.

With that reassurance, Yamaguchi turns his attention back to his best friend, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. His eyes open slowly. "Tadashi? wha- are you okay?" He startles a little at the use of his given name, and more so when Tsukishima's hand comes up to gently caress the skin just above his eyebrow. His thumb comes away red.

"Noya?" The first years then hear Asahi's shakey fear-filled voice call out, "Tanaka? Hinata? can anyone here me?" He continues voice battling against the sound of the rain hitting the trees around them.

"Yeah Asahi, we can hear you! are Suga and Daichi there?" Yamaguchi calls back.

"I- I can see Daichi but not Suga, can you see the second years? and the other first years? are they okay?"

Yamaguchi watches Hinata climb out of Kageyama's lap and towards the back of the bus where the second years were as Asahi's fear-filled voice echoes through the bus.

"Hinata's checking on them, Kageyama and Tsukki are here and awake," He turns his attention back to his best friend. "Tsuki, can you move? are you hurt?"

"No, I'm- I'm okay," He replies despite clutching at his side and flinching with every breath. "You?"

"My foot but otherwise I'm fine," He says getting a worried nod in response. He turns to find Kageyama wincing as he tries to move from his seat.

"Kageyama-Kun, are you okay?" Yamaguchi asks next.

"Our bus just rolled off a fucking cliff, of course I'm not okay, none of this is okay!" Kageyama shouts, pain clear. It shocks Yamaguchi. The absence of Sugawara's scolding about the use of language is what shocks him the most. If the older boy had been conscious and anywhere near them, he would have heard and told him off immediately, regardless of the situation. Kageyama starts making his way to the front of the bus.

"Guys? we can't find Tanaka!" Ennoshita calls out from the back of the bus. His voice now more easy to hear as the rain starts to let up.

"Suga's missing too!" Kageyama calls back from the front. Yamaguchi feels his heart drop in his chest. He and Suga had gotten quite close in their time together on the bench, and Tanaka was his teammate, more than that, he was his friend too.

"Daichi isn't waking up," Asahi's calls out, voice broken up by sobs as he tries to get his best friend to open his eyes. Yamaguchi grips on to his own best friends hand, eyes wide with fear.

"Don't move him!" Hinata's voice booms out, filled with far more authority than one would expect from such a small human. For some reason, Asahi listens. "Tsukishima, Yamaguchi, can either of you move towards me?" The shortest first year follows on.

"I can, Yamaguchi's hurt his foot though," Tsukishima answers already getting up and making his way to the back. Yamaguchi tries to get up too letting out a cry of pain as he accidentally puts weight on his foot and instantly getting his best friend's attention again.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," His voice comes out strangled, implying the opposite though and just as it looks like the blonde is going to make his way back to his best friend, Hinata calls out again, "Tsukishima, I need you here,"

The serious tone of his voice is one none of them had ever heard before. It was definitely not one they could ignore. And so, Tsukishima makes his way to the back of the bus where he finds Ennoshita trying to comfort Kinoshita while Hinata appears to be straddling Narita, pressing his prized Karasuno jacket to a reddening patch on the older boys white shirt.

"Good okay here, I need you to hold this to his side okay? keep the pressure on it while I go check on Daichi," Hinata says with such conviction that Tsukishima doesn't even feel that normal instant want to do the exact opposite of what he's being told to do.

At the other end of the bus, Asahi and Yamaguchi were panicking, effectively feeding off the other's anxiety as Hinata knelt on the edge of Daichi's seat to get a closer look at the captain. First, putting two fingers under his jaw to find a pulse. He couldn't help the relieved sigh that escapes his lips at the feel of thudding under his captain's skin.

"It looks like he's out because of that," He says gesturing to the blood on his captain's temple. "It doesn't look like he has any other major injuries and the safety bag saved him from any real neck injuries, probably gave him nasty whiplash though,"

"Are the second years okay?" Asahi asks, nerves increasing as he realises he's the oldest left conscious, the rest of the team are now officially his responsibility, Hinata seems to realise this too as he gives the upperclassmen a rundown of Ennoshita, Kinoshita and Narita's injuries.

"And Tanaka? Nishinoya?" Hinata flinches at Yamaguchi's worried tone.

"Noya jumped out the back to look for him before I got down there," Hinata says looking for a distraction so that he won't have to look into Asahi's fear-filled eyes any longer. Fortunately, Yamaguchi's food was the perfect distraction. He instantly squats down, poking and prodding the appendage, apologising when he gets pain-filled reactions.

"I think you've managed to break your fourth and fifth metatarsals, they probably got crushed on the way down, do not put any weight on them," Hinata says standing up.

"My what?" Yamaguchi says, too in shock as Hinata now makes his way to check on Asahi.

Moments later there's a loud pop and scream from the older boy as Hinata twists his arm back into place.

"Hey, can you guys all get back here? We should probably try to figure this out," Ennoshita calls from the back sounding commanding in an oddly Daichi-like way. An unspoken agreement passes between the three before Yamaguchi starts hopping his way to the back and Asahi is using his good arm to hold his best friend to his chest pulling him along.

A silence falls over the group immediately as they see their captain in such a vulnerable state, all of them piling close together, fear almost tangible in the air.

"Can anyone get service?" Kageyama asks. there's a series of replies all basically amounting to a unanimous "no".

"What should we do?" Kinoshita whispers timidly, eyes never leaving Narita who was still laying across the back seats, eyes scrunched shut and a jacket still being pressed to his side by Tsukishima.

"We should stay here, wait for someone to find us," Asahi suggests.

"What? and just leave Noya, Suga and Tanaka out there? We should go out there and find them and then try to find our way back to civilisation," Tsukishima argues back.

"Are you crazy?"

Their voices start to drown out one another, raising in volume to the point where no one could make sense of what the others were saying anyway.

"Enough!" Ennoshita's voice rings out. Loud and demanding just like Daichi's. Asahi suddenly understands why the other two third years wanted to appoint the second year as captain after they're gone. "Here's what we're going to do, for now, Hinata will stay here with those who are injured, everyone else will split up in pairs to try and find those of us who are missing. Don't go too far, we don't want anyone else getting lost, once we're all together, we'll discuss whether we stay put and wait for rescue or try to find help ourselves alright?" The future captain gets a series of nods in agreement. "For now, try to rest, it's too dark out there, we probably wouldn't find any of them even if we tripped over them,"

No one sleeps, far too worried about the rest of their teammates. Instead, they take turns pulling shards of glass out of skin and cleaning wounds with water from their drink bottles.

When they run out of wounds to tend to, they sit and wait for the sun to rise.


	4. Chapter 4

Natsu was looking out the front window, watching in fascination as the storm brewed above. The storm wasn't the reason she was sitting at the window though. No. Her big brother Shoyo was meant to be home soon. He said he'd be home for her bedtime which was a whole ten minutes ago.

She lets out a loud scream as suddenly the lights go out. Fear seeps into her tiny bones as she turns her attention back to the road outside, praying for her brothers' bike to hurry up and come around the corner.

"When's Shou-chan going to get home?" She asks her mother who was now looking at the sky, worry tugging her pink lips into a frown.

"I don't know sweetie, they might have decided to wait out the storm and come home tomorrow, the phone towers went down a little bit ago, he might not have had the chance to call us yet," she replies causing her daughter to pout.

Natsu stomps her little foot on the ground, "He said he'd be here for bedtime, I wanted him to read to me,"

"Well, if you go to bed now, maybe he'll be here when you wake up?" The older woman suggests.

The younger contemplates it for a moment before agreeing with a disgruntled sigh.

Hinata-San gives the window one last worried look before leading her daughter up to her room.


	5. Chapter 5

"Tanaka! Suga!," Nishinoya's voice echoes out into the abyss. He'd been going slow, not wanting to walk right past his missing friends and also not wanting to get lost and yet, he was exhausted, mere seconds away from collapsing.

His little legs were beginning to tremble with the effort but he refused to give up. He was making his way in a wide circle around the bus, at least, he hopes he was. Calling out as he goes.

"Suga? Ryuu? please guys," He calls out as tears start to gather.

Rays of light were starting to come from the horizon but he couldn't go back yet.

"Suga? Tanaka?" he calls again.

"Noya!" He hears a reply. It takes him a second to even register, and then another to question if he's really heard anything at all. "Noya is that you?" He hears Suga's familiar voice from his right, strained but still strong.

"Suga!" he shouts out in excitement, rushing to the sound of his seniors' voice and almost sliding down a cliff in the process.

"Careful!" Suga shouts up at him from where he was sitting at the bottom, shoulder bracing him against a tree.

"Hold on, I'm coming,"

"Wheres everyone else? are they okay?" Suga asks as the libero looks around to find a way down. The way down comes in the form of roots from large trees protruding from the cliff face and making a ladder most of the way down the side.

Finally, his luck seemed to be turning up.

"I'm sure Daichi's looking after them all, he probably has Hinata and Kageyama running laps around the bus as punishment for being idiots already,"

It takes Nishinoya a solid fifteen minutes to make his way down the cliff, muscles threatening to give out at every movement. He still has to drop a fair distance where the roots end. When he finally makes his way to his teammate, he's so excited that he pulls him into a hug, disregarding the possibility of injuries. Suga lets out a pained whimper but tightens his grip around the younger boy. He could feel Noya shaking as soft sobs escape his lips.

"Shhh, Noya its okay," Suga says reaching up to card his fingers through the brown hair tickling his chin. "Shhh, you're okay, we're okay,"

"I was so scared Suga, I am so scared, I couldn't find Ryuu, wha- what if he's hurt, what if he's" A sob cuts of his panicked rambling.

"I know, shhh I know," Suga comforts, "But remember who we're talking about yeah? It's Tanaka, he's strong and smarter than we give him credit for. We'll find him,"

After a moment, Nishinoya pulls away, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. "Are you okay Suga-san?"

"Yeah, just a couple of cuts and bruises, help an old man up will you?" Suga replies extending his arms out for some assistance which of course, Noya happily gives. "Now, how the hell are we meant to get out of here?"

Suga is still leaning heavily on the tree as he looks towards the roots Noya climbed down on noticing the large gap between where they end and the ground for the first time.

"Heh, I didn't really think that far ahead," the shorter of the two says nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

Not too far away from them, the majority of their team was walking around calling out their names. With the aid of daylight, they were having far less trouble with stray roots and slippery patches than Noya had been having hours earlier.

Ennoshita was the first to find Tanaka, half-submerged on a riverbank a half hours walk from the bus. "Tanaka!" he calls out running forward effectively drawing Asahi's attention from not too far away. The water around the boy was a murky brown rust colour and it took Ennoshita a moment to realise it wasn't just due to dirt. That realisation had his stomach churning.

He quickly pulls him from the water checking for a pulse. It's there but weak. Ennoshita chokes back a sob putting his head to his chest to try to feel if he was breathing.

He wasn't.

"Tanaka, no no no, don't you fucking dare," He's muttering over and over again as Asahi catches up to him, falling to his knees on the other side of the short-haired boy.

Ennoshita quickly goes through the steps he remembers of mouth to mouth resuscitation, check airways are clear, tilt head back, pinch nose, blow into their mouth for a second. Tears flow freely from his eyes stinging the large open gash across his cheek.

It's weird and Tanaka's lips are cold chapped and completely placid under his own. Ennoshita felt like his heart was in his throat as he looks up at Asahi between breaths. Asahi's eyes are wide, tears trailing down his cheeks, completely frozen.

"Asahi, go get Hinata, go now," The younger boy instructs desperately hoping that the redhead will know what to do.

He leans back down as Asahi runs off, slipping a hand behind Tanaka's head in an attempt to make him more comfortable. He winces at the warm sticky feeling that ends up coating his fingers. He doesn't have to look to know that it was blood.

"Tanaka, wake up you asshole, wake up please, oh god," He says continuing to try to bring his friend back to life.

"Wake up, I need you, co-come on Ryuu," He sobs shaking his chest.

"I need you! you can't leave me! You're meant to support me! you're meant to be there for me! Fuck Tanaka I wanted us to go for captain together! I wanted to lead this team with you!" He lifts his hand to cradle the other boys cheek gently.

"I wanted us to be together," Ennoshita sobs. He doesn't know how long it's been since Tanaka stopped breathing, he doesn't know how much longer he can last like this. Ennoshita was terrified. Terrified of being alone again.

"You asshole," He mutters. "you-you bastard," He says a little louder this time, leaning in to pinch his nose and breath into his mouth again.

"Wake up!" he screams hitting his friend in the chest with a loud thud.

suddenly, there's a gasp, and then Tanaka is coughing up water he'd swallowed in the lake all over Ennoshita's lap but its okay, he doesn't mind. He just rubs his friends back and thanks the gods that that worked.

When Tanaka's lungs are finally clear enough of the water for him to breath he looks up at Ennoshita and then at his surroundings.

"Where-" He breaks off into a cough and Ennoshita's hand is back comfortingly on his shoulder blade, "Where am I? Wh- who are you?"

Ennoshita's heart drops and suddenly he feels like he was the one dying.

"Don't you dare fuck with me right now Tanaka," He says, voice low and dangerous but just from the look in the other boys' eyes, he knew he wasn't messing about.

Asahi manages to cut the half-hour trek that they took to find Tanaka into a fifteen-minute sprint bursting into the bus and shocking everyone on it.

"We found Tanaka," He puffs, "Not good, Hinata, come on," and then he's turning and running again.

Hinata gets the message, following after the ace. It takes them another twenty minutes to find the second years again.

"Tanaka-senpai!" Hinata exclaims when he sees the older boy sitting up, propped up by a large rock. Tanaka looks nervously between the two newcomers and the man who'd saved him.

"Its okay, the small one is Hinata, he's going to help you and the jesus looking one is Asahi," Ennoshita tells him gently. Tanaka gives him a thankful nod now turning to his teammates and watches as their faces fall at the realisation of the situation.

"I am not small Ennoshita-kan! I still have time to grow," Hinata protests as he approaches Tanaka.

Asahi moves to sit next to Ennoshita, starting when once all of Tanaka's attention is taken by Hinata, Ennoshita turns his head, letting it thump on Asahi's shoulder as soft sobs rack his body.

Asahi looks up at the sky, his own tears threatening to fall as he brings one hand up to the back of Ennoshita's head cradling him to his shoulder. He wishes he were Suga at that moment, if only so that he would know how to best comfort the boy.

Not to far away, Suga found himself wishing, not for the first time, that he was Asahi. He could really use that height right now as he painfully tried to reach for a nearby branch in hopes that he'd be able to pull himself up.

Nishinoya had collapsed onto a soft patch of grass moments earlier. "I'm not giving up," he'd said, voice muffled by the foliage, "Just resting my brain,"

Suga had snickered, barely restraining himself from asking "isn't that what you've been doing your whole life?" He had a feeling Daichi would give him the most disappointed look if he'd said that out loud. He'd probably have deserved it.

Suga tries to reach up, swearing aloud as he tugs on the painful cuts in his back. "It's like hearing my mum swear," Nishinoya giggles earning himself a glare.

Just a small glare though because soon Suga is distracted by the sound of footsteps.

"Hello?" He calls out. Nishinoya sits up curiously.

"Hello? anyone out there?" Kageyama's voice calls back, grumpy as ever.

"Kageyama! we're down here!" Noya calls scrambling to stand up. Soon they're looking up at the surprisingly happy faces of Tsukishima and Kageyama. Who would have thought that either of them could look so relieved, Tsukishima even almost looked like he was smiling. Almost.

"Get us out of here!" Noya calls out again. They watch as the two more stoic members of the team look at each other seemingly wordlessly communicating.

They can both clearly see, even from far away that Suga is in pain, the way the man is hunched over and his fists clenched despite the smile on his face. They can also see the matted blood on the back of his shirt, something Nishinoya is pointedly ignoring.

"If i climb down to the end of the roots, i can help pull them onto the wall," Kageyama starts.

"And then I'll pull them up over the edge when they get to the top," Tsukishima finishes. "But what about your wrist?" Coming out of anyone else's mouth, the question would have sounded like it came from a place of worry. Not Tsukishima. He just sounded like he was challenging Kageyama. Implying he wasn't strong enough to do what needed to be done.

At least, that's how Kageyama interpreted it with a scowl on his face. "What about your ribs?" He fires back. The blonde's eyes go wide just for a second at the realisation that Kageyama actually must have noticed his pain.

"Touche,"

Kageyama just looks at him extremely confused earning a laugh from the bespectacled man.

For once, the plan works flawlessly. Unfortunately not painlessly. and once the four of them are finally at the top together, Suga brings the two first years into a hug individually, neither complains, both clutch onto the older man as if they're afraid he'll disappear and then acting like nothing happened when they let go.

it was enough to make Suga giggle.

"How is everyone? Has Daichi got you all under control?" Suga asks as they walk leaning heavily on Kageyama.

Kageyama and Tsukishima- who was currently walking a step behind their libero who looked like he was milliseconds away from passing out- make panicked eyecontact.

"What, what's that look for?"

"Daichi's unconscious, he hasn't woken up yet,"

They watch as the Suga turns pale, face filling with worry.

The rest of the walk back is silent.


	6. Chapter 6

"Kuroo," Kenma's soft voice startles the older man from the chemistry homework he'd been focussing on. He turns his attention to his friend who was sitting on his bed, game for once discarded on the bed next to him and phone in his hands instead. "Have you heard from Karasuno's 11? The tall blond one?"

"Who Tsukki? no why?" Kuroo asks with a laugh.

One thing there is to know about Kenma, he hates making eye contact and Kuroo lets him get away with not making eye contact with him, so when the smaller boys golden eyes meet his own, he knows his best friend is being serious.

Of course, the eye contact does make his heart flutter a little before he comes to this realisation.

"Shoyo and his team were meant to be driving back last night, he hasn't replied to my messages," Kenma explains, his worry for the little crow clear on his face.

"Maybe he's still sleeping?" Kuroo suggests rolling his chair over to the bed so that he's sitting in front of his best friend. Kenma's eyes flicker to the clock on his side table disbelievingly, the clock that now read 12:56 pm in blocky red letters.

"Kenma, you did just wake up an hour ago," Kuroo points out. But even that small comparison caused a weight in Kuroo's chest. He knew that no matter what, shrimpy always replied to Kenma's texts, even if it was just to say he couldn't talk at the moment. And on top of that, even Kuroo knew the boy was an early bird, no matter what time he went to bed.

Kenma was fiddling with the hem of his way too large t-shirt. It takes Kuroo a moment to recognise it as one of his own that his best friend must have put on last night before the had fallen asleep at their little impromptu sleepover. From how much of the milky white skin of his best friends legs were exposed, he could safely assume that he likely wasn't wearing anything but his boxers underneath. That knowledge was quite distracting.

Kenma sighs, leaning his head forward so that his forehead came to a rest at Kuroo's collar bone, his hair falling around him like a curtain hiding his face. The older of the two instinctively brings up his hand to card through the bleached strands of hair. "He's probably fine, maybe he's just sick of me,"

Kuroo didn't have to see his friends face to know that he probably had a small self-deprecating smile. The captain stills before gently and carefully wrapping his arms around the small boy, giving him time to pull away if he wants. "I think it would be just as easy for shrimpy to get sick of you as it is for him to get sick of volleyball," He tells his best friend completely honestly.

Kenma doesn't say anything but he does bring his hand up to clutch at the shirt Kuroo was wearing as if to forbid the other boy from letting go.

"He'll be fine, if you still haven't heard from him by the time you complete the next few levels of your game, I'll call around and see if anyone else has heard from him or anyone else in the team," Kuroo soothes.

They sit for a moment longer, each wishing they could freeze the moment in time before sadly pulling away and getting on with their own things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all I've got for now, let me apologise for all the angst and unbelievably slow storyline by throwing some soft KuroKen at u :)


	7. Chapter 7

A stillness had settled over the group, one plagued with a heavy silence as they all sat huddled in and around the bus. Kinoshita had managed to pull out some of the bus seats with his one good arm in order to create a larger covered space that they could sleep in safely at night. Everyone was surprised at the amount of strength the boy had. His other arm was broken, bones held in place by sticks and fabric.

upon entering the small campsite the team had made, Suga had instantly gone into protective mum mode, pulling each and every one of them into a hug and asking if they were okay, he did his best to hide the tears when Tanaka asked "Who exactly are you again? Sorry, Ennoshita here says I hit my head," With a familiar grin.

After that, he'd gone into the bus to check on Narita and Daichi and hadn't come out. When Hinata went to check on the third years injuries he found him laying on the ground next to Daichi, the other man's hand clutched to his chest and tears drying under his closed eyes. While he slept, Hinata did his best to clean the abundance of slashes and marks across his back.

He didn't realise he was crying until Kageyama, who had been standing silently by his side since making it back to the camp, put his hand on his shoulder. He froze for a second before throwing himself into the young setters arms knocking him back a step or two.

"I want to go home, I want to go home," He sobbed. "What if I never get to see my mum again, what if I never get to see Natsu again,"

"Shut up you dumbass," Kageyama replies, as good with words as ever, inexperiencedly wrapping his arms around the smaller boy. "Of course you'll get to see them again," He tucks his chin on top of the fluffy orange hair and just holds his friend as he sobs. Outside the bus, Nishinoya had jumped on Asahi, letting himself feel small in the older boys arms, and refused to let go. They were now sitting on one of the removed bus seats, Noya cradled like a small child in Asahi's chest.

It had been a long time since Asahi had had to be the strong one for someone else, and frankly, the fact that it was Noya, brave, strong Noya who he had to keep it together for, was terrifying.

Not far from them, Kinoshita and Yamaguchi were chatting, the younger with a soft smile on his face while Tsukishema sat just a little bit out of the group watching them.

Ennoshita was going through the supplies that they had managed to gather from the wreckage of the bus, a few snacks, some water, all while Tanaka was sitting with his legs crossed like a young school boy, looking up at his classmate in a way not unlike how he looks at their manager, with complete awe.

"Were we out camping? I've always wanted to go camping," Taaka says with such excitement in his voice that even Asahi cant help the small smile on his lips. Ennoshita lets out an exasperated sigh.

"Why the hell would we have a bus if we were hiking?" He asks, raising his eyebrow at his friend.

Tanaka's jaw just drops as he leans forward to poke said eyebrow.

"Woah you're hot when you make that expression," He says causing Ennoshita to flush pink. "Oh my god, that's so cute," Ennoshita was now hiding his cheeks in his hands begging the other boy to shut up, unable to withstand the compliments.

Those who could hear them were laughing at their friends' embarrassment.

"Hey, what's your name?" Tanaka asks.

"Ennoshita, you know that; I told you that,"

"No your full name,"

"Ennoshita Chikara,"

"Chikara," Tanaka tests the name on his tongue, drawing out the syllables. "Chikara you're gorgeous,"

Ennoshita groans and tries to move away causing the other boy to get up too and latch onto his arm. "Where are we going?" He asks with wide excited eyes. "Romantic walk?"

Ennoshita has never wanted to bang his head on a wall more but considering their current predicament, that would likely be counterproductive.

Tsukishima could feel his stomach rumbling, begging for food even as exhaustion settles into the corners of his mind. He knew the rest of his team must be feeling it too, now that everyone was relatively safe, they were allowed to think about themselves again.

Tsukishima eyed the snacks on the other side of the camp, he knew there wouldn't be enough for all twelve teenage boys to eat. Apparently, he wasn't the only one thinking that.

"Hey, I'm going to go see if I can find food, want to come with?" Asahi says just loud enough for him to hear when they make eye contact. He nods in response, wincing as he gets up. He's suddenly thankful that the boys around him weren't as observant as Kageyama.

With a now empty sports bag in hand, he follows the taller boy as he leads the way seeming to know where he was going. Within fifteen minutes Tsukishima was well aware of how uncomfortable he was making the older boy feel with his silence. 

In his defence, he never really had a lot to say that could be considered nice, that was Yamaguchi's job. But Yamaguchi wasn't with Tsukishima right now.

"So, you and Noya?" He says trying to break the tension. He may not really know how to deal with humans but he knows how to pretend to. Get them to talk about something they love; since he doesn't know what Asahi liked outside of Volleyball, the libero was the best bet for a conversation.

"What me and Noya? there's no me and Noya pfft," Asahi says eyes wide as they peak over his shoulder. All it takes is for Tsukishima to raise his eyebrow and Asahi knew his protests were a lost cause.

"Yeah, I like him, laugh it up," Asahi grumbles. Daichi and Suga had laughed when he'd told them too, he knew it wasn't out of malintent, they were just surprised. But still.

"Why would I laugh at that?" The blond asks genuinely confused. He watches as the older boys shoulders raise briefly in a shrug. "What do you even like about him?" He presses.

Asahi turns around suddenly defensive at Tsukishima's choice of words and it takes him a moment to realise why. "I didn't mean it as a bad thing, I'm just curious," He also wanted some gossip to bring back to entertain his best friend.

He turns away noticing a bush full of red berries. Asahi grabs him before he can make it though.

"Wait, uh, I did a program when I was younger, crush it on your arm first okay?" Tsukishima nods carefully and there's a silence between them as they wait to find out if he'll react to it.

"Do you think that'll be long enough?"

Asahi nods in response, "now you have to uh- rub it on your lips and gums and then wait. I can do that if you want?" He offers but the blond is already hesitantly putting the berry to his lips.

"There's a lot of things I like about him," Asahi says causing Tsukishima to look up in confusion before realising he was talking about Nishinoya. "He's really brave, never gives up on anything,"

Tsukishima can hear the unspoken words of: 'he never gives up on me,' the blond wasn't heartless, he just acted like he was and the more Asahi talked about the things he loved about the shorter boy, the more he oddly related to him.

It's not until Asahi mentions that he loves Nishinoya's smile and can't stop himself from striving constantly to make him smile at him that Tsukishima starts to wonder; 'could this mean that I love Yamaguchi the same way Asahi loves Nishinoya?'

"How did you know? I mean, how did you know that liking these things about Nishinoya-san meant you liked him like that?" Tsukishima puts a berry in his mouth preparing to chew it for the next while and hoping to use it as an excuse to not have to talk for a while.

Asahi gives Tsukishima a calculating look. "You're thinking of Yamaguchi aren't you?" The middle blocker's face goes as red as the berry he's eating but he does his best to keep his expression blank.

"It's not really about how those things made me realise I loved him," Asahi rubs his beard between his fingers in thought. "It was more the realisation of how much I thought of him in general, how I could look at the colour blue and my first thought would be 'Nishinoya's favourite colour is blue' or I could go out for dinner somewhere and think 'Nishinoya would love this place,' you know?" Asahi says, his signature nervous smile creeping back onto his face.

Tsukishima pauses in his chewing realising that he does know.

"I'm pretty sure these berries are safe, we should pick as many as we can and get back to camp," He says hoping to drop the topic. Asahi nods letting him and they fill the bag with as many berries as possible.


	8. Chapter 8

The phone towers and power were back up and running and still, no one had heard from the Karasuno team.

It had been a full twelve hours before anyone had even realised they were missing, not until late the morning after they'd left.

Their families had assumed they'd waited out the storm with their coaches and managers while their coaches and managers had assumed they'd gotten home safely. None of them heard about the mountain slide that had happened until they'd arrived back home having taken a different route.

Sugawara Koushi and Azumane Asahi's parents were huddled together in the Sawamura home with the homeowners, all with worry etched into their features. Their boys were close with each other and so over the years, their parents had become close too. Usually, conversation and laughter flowed easily between them but on this particular night, there was none of that.

You could almost taste the fear in the air as the adults tried desperately to silently reassure themselves that their boys would be okay.

"What if-" Asahi's mother starts fearfully before being cut off by Daichi's father.

"No, no what-ifs. Our boys are strong, and- and they're smart," He says determinedly.

"You're right, we can't give up hope, the authorities are organising search parties, we can join them in the morning, they'll be fine," Sugas mother says with such certainty that the parents around her actually start to believe her.

"But what if-" Asahi's mother starts again only for Suga's mum to get up from her seat and whack the other woman on the head none too lightly causing her to end what she was saying with a loud "Ouch! what was that!"

"Negativity chop," The other woman says shrugging her shoulders and sitting back down. The men laugh, each having seen both the elder and young Sugawara's utilise the 'negativity chop' when they deemed it necessary. The adults soon fall back into silence, each too worried to keep up and kind of conversation and eventually they disperse to their own homes, hoping to hear something about their boys before the night is over.

None of them sleep that night.


	9. Chapter 9

"Chikaraaaaa, your hand looks heavy," Tanaka says with a smirk that was far too close to normal for someone who couldn't remember anything more than 24 hours earlier.

"What?" Ennoshita asks in confusion.

"I said, your hand looks heavy... how about I hold it for you," The other boy says cheekily reaching out to grasp the other boy's hand between his two. Ennoshita's cheeks heat up, visible even in the darkness that had shrouded the forest as the sun set.

Asahi and Tsukishima had come back not much earlier with a sports bag full of berries and a warning from Asahi to eat them slowly just in case. Half of the berries were gone within five minutes and soon everyone's hunger was placated enough for them to all move into the bus for the night.

Tanaka was now dragging Ennoshita to do the same.

Those who were injured were in the middle, laying on the floor with discarded clothing and jackets draped over them while everyone else was huddled close nearby, sharing body heat with their teammates. The first years were huddled in the furthest corner, Tsukishima having fallen asleep first leaning against where the walls of the bus met, bus seats having been moved outside, legs stretched out in front of him and arms crossed over his chest.

Hinata was the next to move there to fall asleep, if he was awake, Tsukishima would have made a joke about how Hinata's brain must be exhausted after being used so much for the first time ever. Hinata, searching for warmth after having sacrificed his jacket for Narita's sake, had wedged himself between the wall and Tsukishima, his short legs draped across the other boy's lap.

As a result of the two boys already being fast asleep, Kageyama had been the one who had to carry Yamaguchi into the bus. His muscles were sore and trembling but he didn't complain, though the sour look on his face said it all. He wordlessly placed the other boy on the other side of the blond, watching as he picked up the red-heads feet and places them in his own lap so that he could shuffle closer to his best friend.

He lifted the blond's arm from where it was crossed over his chest and moved it around his shoulder so that he could cuddle up to the taller boy. Kageyama was amazed that no one woke up in the process of Yamaguchi getting comfortable.

"Sit next to Hinata or he's going to freeze," Yamaguchi had whisper ordered the taller boy who was still standing unsure of whether or not he should join them. With Yamaguchi's instruction acting like permission, he makes himself comfortable next to the shortest first year, blanketing the other's body with his own and pinning is bare arms between them. He tucks his legs in next to him so that his thighs are pressed against Hinata's and his lower legs were pressed against Tsukishima's from knee to ankle. It wasn't entirely comfortable but it was warm and he was exhausted. Without much thought, he lets his head fall forward on top of Hinata's, his nose burrowed in the fluffy orange hair.

Daichi was still unconscious in the middle, something that was causing increasing worry in everyone else but now Suga was fast asleep by his side. Behind them, Narita was laying on his uninjured side using Kinoshita's lap as a pillow, the other boy's broken arm held protectively to his chest. Asahi was next to them, not quite touching either of them but close enough to be sharing some body heat with them while Nishinoya slept tucked into his side furthest away from anyone else.

Asahi and all of the second years were still awake, save for Nishinoya, so Ennoshita made his way towards them, sitting quietly in the space between them and the sleeping and unconscious third years.

Tanaka of course, follows him, flopping down with his head in the other boy's lap. Ennoshita looks down at the other boy to be met with a bright smile. "What, what are you smiling about," he asks.

"You, you're just so pretty," Tanaka replies poking Ennoshita's uninjured cheek. Ennoshita looks up to find Asahi smiling warmly at the pair.

"You know," He says quietly so not to wake anyone, "He's never even flirted with Kiyoko this much,"

"I don't even care who that is," Tanaka says dreamily nuzzling into the stomach of the boy he was using as a pillow. The said boy lets out a small squeak of embarrassment causing Tanaka to smile into his t-shirt.

"You should, she was the woman you were in love with," Kinoshita says with a laugh.

"Whaaa," Tanaka exclaims lifting his head from his friend's lap, "you mean I wasn't dating this gorgeous angel right here?"

"Nope, you were completely head over heels for our manager," Narita snorts.

Tanaka lets out an angry "hmph," noise before protesting saying "I refuse to believe that I ever loved anyone more than this beauty right here," before looking over at said 'beauty' and swooning at the rosiness of his cheeks that was beginning to become a common staple.

"Whatever, come on guys you should get some rest, we all should. It's been a long day," Ennoshita instructs turning on what the other second years had dubbed as his 'parent' voice. He lays down on the ground as the others nod and shuffle around to get comfortable as they nod off. Kinoshita ends up with his head against Asahi's shoulder and the older boys head on top of his. Tanaka throws himself back onto the ground, wiggling his way into Ennoshita's arms. Ennoshita lets out a disgruntles sigh but holds the other boy tight anyway.

He was warm and felt nice in his arms, hard muscles pressed up against his. It makes him wish that they could be like this under different circumstances. He wishes they could be home right now, he wishes Tanaka could be okay and not suffering serious memory loss at the hand of some sort of brain damage.

"You're scared aren't you," Tanaka whispers after hearing the last of their friend's soft snores start to escape his mouth.

"What gives you that idea," Ennoshita scoffs quietly.

"You act so toughly and strong," Tanaka says quietly, "I don't know how I know it, but I know that that's true. But I can also just tell that you're terrified, I don't know how, and it's really confusing, I don't know. We must have been close right? before all this? That's the only way I could know you so well,"

The other second year could see how much the memory loss was frustrating the boy. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to wake up and not remember anything.

"Yeah, we were close, you're one of my best friends, and you're right, I'm terrified," He admits quietly. Neither of them says anything else, Tanaka just presses himself closer to his friend in an attempt to comfort him. Soon they're both fast asleep, their own soft snores adding to the noise of the room and the echoes of the outside world.


	10. Chapter 10

Tanaka Saeko had had a bad couple of days. With long shifts and crappy hours, she'd hardly had time to eat and sleep let alone to realise the awful quiet of the house. But now, she finally had a day off, a day to herself. She planned to use her Sunday well.

She had so many grand plans, starting with spending the entire day on the couch with a bunch of junk food and some sappy movies. She contemplates knocking on her brother's door to invite him to watch some with her before deciding against it with a chuckle to herself, it was nine in the morning, her brother was probably still sleeping much like her parents who must not have gotten to bed until the early hours of the morning.

Saeko maneuvers the food in her arms, a spoon for the icecream already dangling from her lips as she picks up the remote turning the tv on.

It opens onto a news station and she's about to change the channel before six words catch her attention.

"Karasuno boys volleyball team still missing," typed in bold letters headlining the bottom of the screen.

The spoon from her mouth drops clattering to the floor loudly as an image of her baby brothers team flashes on the screen. She rushes to turn the sound up.

"The boy's team has been missing since late Friday night, search and rescue have been looking for the group but as of yet have been unsuccessful. It is assumed that the storm sent them off the road on their way home but with all the storm damage there is no way to determine how far they got therefore making the search area vast. Authorities say it could take days, possibly even weeks to find the boys. We pray that the team is alive and well and our thoughts go out to their families,"

With that, Saeko falls to her knees, grief-filled sobs causing her body to shake violently as she whispers "no" to herself over and over getting louder and louder. Until shes loud enough to wake her parents. They come rushing from their room and upon seeing the news program on the tv, her mother pulls her into a crushing hug.

"No, no," she shouts, "They have to be okay, they have to! Ryuu is meant to- he's meant to be here and he's meant to be annoying and bring his friends around- a- and he and Noya are meant to eat my food and com- complain about- about homework," She stutters out, her sentence periodically interrupted by loud sobs. "They have to be okay," She reiterates.

Her parents just look at each other, tears forming in their own eyes.

They sit there, the three of them huddled on the ground sobbing together as grief rips through them and hope starts to slip away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say, I get super emotional when writing and this chapter, in particular, it's so short but I was crying and it was more emotional than normal because I have a little sister and I was imagining what it would be like to be in Saeko's shoes thinking about the possibility that she'll never see her baby brother, someone she loved and cared for unconditionally ever again. Idk bro, it was sad


	11. Chapter 11

If it weren't for the biting cold nipping at his nose and the warm bodies blanketing him, Tsukishima Kei could mistake the bright sun light waking him from his slumber for the light that would normally come through his blinds in the morning.

He takes a moment to look down at the people using him as a pillow. He sees Yamaguchi first, tucked under his arm, nose pressed up against his pectoral with drool dampening the material underneath him. Tsukishima couldn't help the small smile that made its way to his lips before his sleep riddled brain could stop it.

He then looks at the other person on his other on his shoulder.

"Tch," the sound is quiet enough not to wake up his classmates but loud enough for Suga who was awake to hear. The older boy lets out a small chuckle wishing not for the first time that anyone had a decently working phone to take a photo with.

He was finding the disgruntled look on the blonds face very entertaining as he tried to stay as still as possible so not to wake anyone.

Soon enough though, the bright morning light had woken everyone up and they were all ready for the day.

"Okay, some of us should go get more water, we're going to run out soon, does anyone know how to hunt and stuff?" Ennoshita asks once everyone was together. Asahi raises his hand nervously causing the younger boy to raise his eyebrow.

"I, uh, was a boy scout, I know how to set up some traps," The tall boy says.

"Stop wiggling around dumbass," Kageyama's voice interrupts them.

"But I really need to pee," Hinata replies in a winey voice.

"So go pee idiot dumbass,"

"Idiot or dumbass, pick one at a time King," Tsukishima interrupts the two bickerings.

"Don't call him that," Hinata bites back defensively startling those around him. The blond just rolls his eyes.

"Just go pee behind a tree Hinata-Kun," Suga says softly.

"I don't want to go alone," The younger boy blushes. Suga has to hold back an 'aw' at how adorably pure the first year was.

"Kageyama, go with him please," Ennoshita says causing the raven-haired boy to splutter.

"What why can't he just go by himself!" he protests.

Ennoshita gives the boy a look that would make Daichi very proud and with a sigh, Kageyama was getting up and leading Hinata outside.

Ennoshita continues to give directions, hiding his surprise when his teammates, even Tsukishima, listened to him.

Yamaguchi and Narita were still too injured to do much, as was Kinoshita. None of them wanted to send Tanaka out anywhere, not with his amnesia implying brain damage, they were all afraid he might keel over at any moment and they wouldn't be able to wake him up again this time.

Daichi was still out cold, his breathing was okay but even Hinata had no idea what to do for him to wake up. Suga was by his side, his back too torn up to move around much but that wasn't the only reason he wasn't leaving the bus. He refused to leave Daichi, refused to even let go of his hand.

Everyone was mildly disgusted by the realisation that sometime in the night Daichi's bladder had released its contents. It was bound to happen eventually, the unconscious man couldn't exactly control it.

Hinata had prepared for it, getting the idea from the fabric nappies that his mother used to use for Natsu. The day prior, with an extremely red face and the help of a reluctant Kinoshita, he had pulled his captains pants down and literally stuffed his pants with some of the sports towels.

He knew it wouldn't be comfortable, and that he would never live down the embarrassment of having to do that.

"I'll clean him up if someone brings me water and something to wash him down with," Suga volunteers with a scrunch to his nose.

Everyone leaves to do the jobs set for them, even Hinata who's instructed to find wood for a fire, leaving just the captain and his vice in the campsite. Asahi brings him water in several water bottles having nothing to use as a bucket and one of their game towels to use as a washcloth. "Pass his clothes and things out when you take them off so I can take them down to the river and clean them," He gives Suga's shoulder a comforting squeeze before leaving the bus.

Narita closes his eyes, wishing to whatever god was out there to rescue him from whatever hell this was. He was still too injured to be moved outside. "Just pretend I'm not here, please, trust me I don't want to be," He mumbles to his vice-captain causing the other boy to let out an uncomfortable laugh.

Suga looks down at his best friend watching as his chest moves up and down like a gentle promise of normalcy. He could almost convince himself his friend was asleep if it weren't for the smell evidence of complete loss of control over his body. Somehow the fact that that had happened made it real, the fact that he couldn't even control his bladder made it more terrifying and Suga was struck with the terrifying thought.

'What if he never wakes up,'

He attempts to physically shake the thought out of his head, trying to rid himself of that negativity.

He moves forward slowly gripping the other man's clothing and pulling it off. It felt like a terrible violation of the other man.

He pulled Daichi's t-shirt of first, dampening the towel and running it over his arms and torso ridding him of the build-up of sweat and crusted blood. He runs it lightly down the middle of Daichi's chest and over his pecks feeling the reassuring warmth of his skin as he places his other bare hand on his friend's shoulder to steady himself.

He moves the towel down tracing the lines of his muscles. He keeps doing that for a moment, marvelling at god-like sculpting of his friend's body before once again being hit with how wrong this all was.

He pulls his shorts off next, stifling a laugh at the abundance of towels bulking up his boxers, he removes those too, exposing his friend to the world. He quickly passes the clothing to the other third year who was waiting outside, both of their faces as red as beetroots.

He did his best not to look too hard at his friend's body, tried to think of it as like when they're getting changed before or after practice but the way his limbs are limp and pliant shatter that illusion.

It makes Suga want to cry.

He takes his time cleaning his friend off before draping someone's jacket over his bare body while he waits for Asahi to bring back the drying clothes.

His own back aches, the tears from sliding against sharp rocks and sticks making his skin pull painfully as they try to heal.

He doesn't realise he's crying until he sees a tear fall from him and lands on his friend's arm. Once that one falls, the rest can't be held back and soon he finds himself sobbing against Daichi's bare chest.

"Suga, Suga he's going to be okay," Narita tries to comfort from not too far away, wishing that he could get up and comfort his friend.

"He's not, he's not," Suga sobs, "He's been out since the accident, he's never going to wake up," He cries out no longer able to hold it together. Asahi thankfully was close enough to hear his friend crying and quickly rushes back. Dropping the clothes on one of the chairs outside to dry, he rushes into the bus and falls down beside his classmates.

"Suga," He whispers, putting a hand on his back. The grey-haired boy doesn't move, clutching fearfully at Daichi's chest. Asahi can feel his own tears welling in his eyes, he didn't know how to handle Suga breaking down like this, he'd always been the positive one, the one who could bring hope to any situation.

"I can't lose him Asahi, I- I never got to tell him,"

"Tell him what?" Asahi asks carefully.

"I never got to tell him that I loved him," At the setters words, Asahi has to hold back a sob, he can't even begin to imagine that pain. If it was Noya there on the floor, he would be an absolute mess.

He has no idea how to comfort his friend, he has no idea how to be the person he needs right now. It had always been the other way around. Suga was always the one who knew what to do and what to say, and him being unable to do so was quite terrifying to Asahi.

"y-you can tell him when he wakes up, and he will wake up," Asahi says trying to sound determined. He can't be sure his friend hears him over his sobbing so he stays, eyes glued to Daichi's blank face and hand rubbing up and down Suga's back.

All he could do now was hope that his words held truth to them and that fate wouldn't make him a liar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is weird, I'm sorry it's like almost 4am for me right now, I hope you are liking this and I'm not making it too painful for you :)


	12. Chapter 12

It was early in the morning, his brother and his team had been missing for more than a day now. Tsukishima Akiteru was terrified, but as he stood in amongst the crowd of people that were there to help search for the missing team, he tried his best to keep his head held high.

He was doing his best to listen to the lead rescuers instructions but his mind kept drifting to his guilt. He hadn't come home from college for weeks, had hardly bothered to text his little brother and check-in. He knew he had to find Kei because he hadn't had a chance to spend enough time with the boy.

He already knew that if- no; when they find them, he'll hug his brother and never let him go.

He couldn't help but make plans in his head for all the things they could do together when they find him. They could go watch some Volleyball matches, go out for lunch, go see movies, maybe Yamaguchi could come too, he's such a kind kid. He must be an angel for putting up with his brother as happily as he does.

He spends the entire day out in the valley around the mountain with his search group, the sun making his pale skin turn pink while his muscles began to get sore. When he got back to his family home, he collapsed on the couch, exhaustion clouding the corners of his mind.

He would have fallen asleep there if his phone hadn't rung, the shrill sound startling him in the almost silent house. The name 'Tanaka Saeko,' flashes across the screen with a picture the two of them had taken together at one of their brother's games. He looked at the screen for a moment, as his friends smiling face looking back at him. He had no idea how to talk to her right now, what to say.

He answers anyway, silence loud between them.

"Did you find them?" Saeko asks, her voice quiet in a way that Akiteru had never heard before and never wanted to hear again. His throat closes up as the emotion wells and as he opens his mouth to answer, he finds himself unable to make a noise.

He here's a soft sob on the other side of the line and he knows that Saeko understood his silence anyway. After a moment of listening to her try to pull herself together, she asks, "Can I come over?" A question that in itself felt far too timid to have come from the usually rambunctious woman.

"Please," he replies finally, his chest tight and his voice coming out as more of a whimper than anything else.

Ten minutes later, he hears a knock at the door, and when he opens it he finds a woman who, for a moment, he didn't even recognise as Saeko. Her eyes were red and puffy and her hair was a mess, she had traded her more provocative outfits out for a large sweater that looked like it might have belonged to her brother and her shoulders were curled in protectively.

Saeko was always loud and confident, making her seem larger than life and giving her the appearance of being a lot taller than the 155cm that she was but right now on his doorstep, she looked tiny.

He instantly pulls her into his arms, his body easily enveloping her smaller frame. They just stand there for a while in the doorway, Saeko's small hands fisted in the back of Akiteru's t-shirt. She could smell the tangy scent of sweat and sunscreen with her face pressed into his chest and she found it surprisingly comforting. It was as if she needed the proof that people were actually out there looking for her brother.

Akiteru felt the tightness in his chest begin to loosen just a little. "Come on, I'll get you a beer,"

The elder siblings find themselves on the couch in the living room, sipping their alcoholic beverages in silence for a while until Saeko lets out a snort.

"You know, one time I bought some beers for a party and left them in the fridge while I was in class and I came home to find Ryuu and Yu completely smashed while Ryuu was trying to tape Yu to the tv and Yu just couldn't stop laughing," Akiteru lets out a loud laugh.

"Why was he-" He asks between laughs. Saeko smiles up at him.

"He tried to convince me that Yu was actually Dora the explora's cousin and he'd escaped from the tv. He was trying to get him back in,"

They're both laughing at the imagery now.

"Wow, when Kei got into my Alcohol, he and Tadashi just ended up cuddling on the couch while Kei tried to count Tadashi's freckles. I still have no idea if they're dating or not,"

Saeko coos at the story laughing at the end comment.

They end up falling asleep like that, telling stories back and forth about their siblings and trying to make missing them hurt less. It didn't work but just for that night, they could pretend that they were normal siblings lamenting over their little brothers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhhhh here have some soft sad siblings? *throws chapter at you and runs back to hide from my responsibilities*


	13. Chapter 13

Nishinoya hated everything that was happening.

He hated the fear tugging at his chest, he hated how his hands were shaking, he hated not being able to bring himself to laugh or joke around or even try to be positive.

He hated looking at his best friend in the whole world and having him look back without a flicker of recognition in his eyes. He hated feeling like he'd lost his brother even while he stood right in front of him.

He hated seeing the fear in Asahi's eyes and being too afraid himself to do anything to help.

His chest felt tight all the time and all that was going through his head was "what if we don't get home, what if Daichi doesn't wake up, what if Tanaka never gets better,"

He hated feeling this way. useless and afraid. He'd never felt like this before.

He couldn't even bring himself to look at Hinata. The boy was like sunshine, radiating warmth and happiness even in such a dire situation. Nishinoya hated that he could do that.

He could see his hands shaking as he picked berries by the creek that they'd found. He could hear his teammates behind him, their voices acting like background noise that he couldn't separate or distinguish.

He had no idea how things were going to get better. He honestly didn't believe they could.

Not too far away and oblivious to Nishinoya's internal panic and catastrophising, his team was laughing and happy, childlike chaos completely overtaking them.

It had started when Hinata and Kageyama were arguing about whatever the hell the two first years have to argue about and Kageyama shoved Hinata causing the smaller boy to land with a loud splash in the water.

The red-head just looked at the taller boy for a couple of seconds, eyes wide with shock. Then, right before everyone's eyes, he flew out of the water, war cry falling from his lips as he manages to latch onto Kageyamas retreating form, arms around his neck and legs around his torso.

The added weight causes the setter to lose balance toppling over into the water this time creating a much larger splash.

Large enough to catch Tsukishima who was nearby filling water bottles.

This of course results in an all-out war between the three of them with Yamaguchi sitting on the riverbank laughing.

It had surprised everyone when Kageyama had been the one to carry Yamaguchi instead of Tsukishima. They hadn't seen the pain that the blond was in that morning when he tried to get up. They also didn't hear the lecture Kageyama gave the other boy as he whisper-shouted about how stupid it was for him to not at least tell Hinata and the others about his pain. Tsukishima had 'tch'ed and just turned away. He didn't, however, refuse the help that the raven-haired boy subtly and wordlessly offered.

Hinata was now making his way to a distracted Yamaguchi with a water bottle in his hand. The other first year was too busy laughing at the look on his best friends face when Kageyama tipped a bottle of water over his head to notice the shorter first year.

Ennoshita wanted to tell them not to muck around so they wouldn't get hurt but after hearing Hinata's loud giggle he just couldn't do it. Even Tsukishima had a soft smile on his face at the sight of Yamaguchi who was now drenched and disgruntled thanks to Hinata's surprising stealth.

The other boys couldn't help but notice what a stark contrast Tsukishima's smile was to his usual mocking laugh. When Yamaguchi saw it, his entire demeanour softened from the mock anger he'd been directing towards Hinata and a bright smile lit up his face.

Apparently that was too much for Tsukishima who quickly looked away. Cheeks pink in a way that couldn't be excused as just a result of the sun.

Tanaka came up from behind Ennoshita, wrapping his arms around the other boys middle and letting his chin rest on his shoulder. He contemplated pulling away but instead found himself leaning into the embrace, something that caused a happy sound to emerge from the bald boy's throat.

"Our kōhai are so adorable, aren't they," Tanaka swoons into his ear causing a soft chuckle to erupt from deep in Ennoshita's chest as he nods in agreement.

"Hey um, do you think," Tanaka then starts, tone turning serious as he hides his face in the crook of the other boy's neck. Ennoshita feels a shiver travel down his spine in response. "Do you think I might be able to subconsciously know you guys even if I don't remember the memories I have with you all?" He carefully asks.

Ennoshita thinks back to their conversation the night before. "I suppose so, it would make sense, I mean, you still seem to act like yourself despite no longer having the formative memories that turned you into the person you are,"

Tanaka is briefly shocked into silence by how smart the other boy sounds, genuinely surprised by his ability to be beautiful, kind, a good leader AND smart. He, of course, tells him as such.

"Why do you ask?" Ennoshita asks finally as curiosity gets the better of him.

"Him," Tanaka points to where Noya was standing on his own, inspecting each individual berry he picks before putting them in the bag. His motions were slow and precise, lacking the usual exuberance to them that the other second years were used to. Ennoshita felt a tug of worry in his gut. "It's off, he's off but I don't even know what he's meant to be like, I just know its not this, I'm worried about him,"

Ennoshita felt his heart swell in his chest, putting the worry aside for a moment, it was this side of Tanaka that the other first year loved the most about him. Even now, he cared so much even though the person he was worried about was a virtual stranger at the moment.

Tanaka had always been like this, he may be loud and over the top and not the smartest, but he was kind and he was kind in a way that outweighed everything about him that could be considered a fault.

"I think he's got it pretty bad right now," Ennoshita explains softly, earning a questioning noise from his friend. "He's uh, pretty close to Daichi and Suga, I mean we all are but I think he really looks up to them and well, Tanaka, you're his best friend," This last statement earns a gasp from Tanaka and suddenly Ennoshita finds himself being manhandled so that he was facing the other boy, his hands come to rest on his waist to steady himself while Tanaka's clasp his shoulders.

"You mean to tell me that my best friend has been suffering this entire time and I haven't even realised? I'm a terrible friend, why do you even like me!" He exclaims head coming down with a thump on the other boy's collarbone.

Ennoshita raises his hand to the back of the bald head gently and comfortingly caressing him while being careful to avoid the still present injury at the back of his skull. "I don't," He says. The statement easily taken as a joke by Tanaka who snorts. Ennoshita realised at that moment that he was telling the truth though.

He didn't like Tanaka. He loved him.

The realisation made him want to groan and thump his head repeatedly on a nearby tree but his plans were interrupted by the boy he apparently loved. "I should go talk to him," He says decisively making Ennoshita wince.

"Let me talk to him first okay?" He suggests instead making Tanaka smile as if he just told him that he just bought him all the chocolate in the world.

"How are you so perfect Chikara," He says cupping his cheeks gently. Ennoshita scoffs, moving away to hide the blush that was on his cheeks. From across the river, Kageyama gives him a curious look.

Asahi too had seen the interaction as he washed Daichi's clothes, a soft smile on his face. Ennoshita and Tanaka would be good for each other, they'd balance one another out perfectly. His smile fell from his face as his gaze landed on the shorter boy with spikey brown hair and a blond patch. Only, his hair wasn't spikey anymore, the hair product having long since come out.

He looked so small. Small and quiet, two words Asahi has never really applied to Nishinoya. Sure the boy was short but his personality was just way too boisterous to make it possible to consider the boy small. And the only time he'd associated the word quiet with Nishinoya was to say that he's not.

It felt vaguely like they'd switched roles. Nishinoya taking on the quiet, fearful, shy persona that Asahi normally held and Asahi taking the more confident one.

He pondered this as he made his way back to their campsite, hands occupied by damp but now clean clothing and towels. He's shocked from his thoughts as he hears Suga's sobs, something he hadn't heard since first year when the grey-haired boy told him about how he thought he might be gay and how disgusting he felt for it.

It had been the first time Asahi had had to comfort the boy. He'd hoped it would be the last.

"he's never going to wake up," He hears the other boys muffled voice.

He quickly lays out the fabric on one of the sun-drenched chairs and almost throws himself into the bus. He freezes at the sight of Suga hunched over their best friend clutching at him in fear. He makes brief eye contact with Narita who looked as if he was trying valiantly to sit up, pain etched into his face. Asahi shakes his head at him before rushing forward to Sugas side.

Narita wasn't as close to the third years as the others but he still considered them his friends. He'd always seen all three of them as so perfect, Asahi; Handsome, tall, with fantastic talent. All it took was one look at his eyes to know that he was a kind and gentle human. Daichi was similarly tall and handsome, he didn't seem to have as much natural talent but he worked hard and the second year admired that about him, he was also a perfect leader. Then there was Suga. Motherly and warm, kind, fun, positive. He always seemed so put together, like nothing could affect him, like nothing could tear him down.

Seeing him like this, all of that momentarily gone was a shock to Narita. He looked up to the third years, thought of them as the closest thing to gods he would ever find, but seeing the three of them, hurting and broken. It reminded him that they were human.

Above all else, Suga's cries and inability to hold himself together anymore reminded him that not only were they human, but they were also still kids just like himself. He knew this trauma would live with them forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first years own all my uwus sorry


	14. Chapter 14

Oikawa had seen it on a tv as he made his way home from picking up his nephew, the boys tiny hand clasped in his own.

'Karasuno boys volleyball team still missing,'

His grip tightens on his nephew's hand to the point where the small boy let out a winey "ouch,"

"Sorry Takeru-chan," Oikawa replies without his usual song like tone as he listens in to the news broadcast. His heart catches in his throat at the news anchor states that they are almost at the forty-eight-hour mark with no sign that the boys are even still alive.

He drops his nephew's hand, his own shaking as he reaches into his pocket for his phone. He dials the first number he thinks of, that of is friend Iwaizumi.

"Oikawa, I saw you not even four hours ago what do you want," His friend answers grumpily expecting to be treated by his friends oddly perky, flirtatious banter. He expects something like "Maybe I just missed you Iwa-chan," but what he gets instead is a shaking terrified voice saying: "Tobio-chan, the whole team, they're missing, they might- they might be," He cuts himself off with a gulp, looking down at his nephew who was now looking up at him with wide eyes.

"What? Toru what are you talking about," Iwaizumi replies carefully.

"It's all over the news, how did we not know?"

"Oikawa calm down, it'll be okay, you know the Karasuno team, Kageyama especially, they're all absurdly stubborn. If anyone were to go through something like this and come out alive it would be them," Iwaizumi says logically. Oikawa nods along trying to bring himself together at least enough to get his nephew home. He stays on the line with his childhood friend, neither of them saying much of anything until he drops the young boy back at his home and then suddenly he's alone.

"What if he's dead," Oikawa says bluntly, voice void of emotions as he tries to process the situation.

"He's not," Iwaizumi says trying to sound sure but even Oikawa can hear the fear in his voice, somehow that's more comforting.

"I hope they're okay, I don't- I was so mean to him Iwa-chan, he looked up to me and I treated him horribly, all because I was jealous," The captain sobs, his vice-captain stays silent for a while, unsure of what to say. "When they find him, I'll teach him anything he wants, I-I'll teach him how to make his jump serves stronger, how to make them more precise, anything, as long as he's okay,"

Iwaizumi had never heard his friend caring so openly for another human. He could feel his own tears trailing down his cheeks triggered by his friend's soft sobs.

"He'll be okay, and I think he'd like that. You should bring that little red-head one with you too, he'd probably enjoy watching the two of you practice. He does call you the great king after all," He finally replies, his own voice shaking and filled with emotion but he smiles a bit to himself as he hears a chuckle from Oikawa through the phone.

"They'll be okay," Oikawa says, mostly to himself, his friend repeating the statement back to him. 

They don't hang up until midnight that night. Neither saying much, definitely nothing of much substance, just taking comfort in the other's presence until they begin to nod off.

The next day, Iwaizumi pulls his friend into a warm hug, an action he hasn't done for a very long time. Oikawa melts into it, hands gripping the lapels of the vice-captains jacket, threatening to never let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soft Oikawa and Iwaizumi? :)


	15. Chapter 15

The ease of earlier in the day had long since vanished, disappearing with the sun as the darkness brought a solemn chill that blanketed them all.

Suga had fallen asleep after re-dressing Daichi, head pillowed on his chest. Crying had taken a lot out of him and his body was still exhausted from the injuries. His eyes were still pink and puffy. Asahi had fallen asleep next to them, looking oddly like a guard dog.

He was curled in a ball protectively by Daichi's hip as if preparing to fight off death if it attempted to come for him that night.

Everyone could feel the change in the air. A new feeling of fear caused by their usually hopeful vice-captain breaking down weighed heavy on each member, even with the positive knowledge that they had food and they had water and on a whole, they were relatively safe. They had even managed to set up some traps out around the forest in an attempt to catch some real dinner though they hadn't had much success as of yet.

The first years, like the night previous, were the first to fall asleep, huddled together once again but this time with Kageyama holding Hinata to his chest instead of letting him fall against Tsukishima. To anyone else, it would seem like he was being protective of Hinata or wanting to hold him, but Tsukishima knew that while that might be true, it was primarily an attempt to prevent some of his pain. He did appreciate how caring the king had become.

The second years were huddled between the first years and the third years, acting like a bridge keeping them all together. Kinoshita was huddled close to Narita not far from the first year's feet while Ennoshita and Tanaka were still sitting up cross-legged as the four of them talked quietly.

It took them a while to notice Nishinoya wasn't with them.

"I'll go look for him, stay here, I'll be back soon," Ennoshita says getting up carefully so as not to wake anyone up.

He slips outside, shivering against the cool breeze that the walls of the bus had previously blocked. It took him a moment to spot the other second year, sitting with his knees pulled to his chest using a stick to poke the dying embers of the fire they had made earlier to try to purify the water to drink.

He sits down beside him quietly.

"Chikara," Nishinoya says curtly, voice barely above a whisper.

"Yu," Ennoshita replies calmly watching his friend. "Are you okay?"

Noya looks up at the boy startled, "Of course I'm okay, I hardly even got more bruises than I would in a game," he answers with a scoff that sounds mildly self-deprecating.

"That's not what I meant and you know it,"

"I'm fine,"

"Mhm, and I'm the best libero in Tokyo," The sarcasm lacing Ennoshita's words was unmistakably heavy. "Look I just, I know you're having a hard time, we all are, but everyone processes things differently and I'm not exactly a mind reader. Noya, whatever's going through your head right now, you can talk to me if you want, I'm your friend,"

Nishinoya doesn't say a word, just leans over so that he was now resting his temple on the other second year's shoulder. "I can't, not- not yet but maybe after," Noya says after a long time of the two of them just watching the warm rocks in front of them.

It seems to be enough to satisfy the other boy. Ennoshita knew that Noya wasn't okay right now but there was nothing he could really do aside from being there for him at the moment. "Come on, let's head in," he suggests.

"I uh, I think I'm going to stay out here for a bit," Noya says giving his friend a small smile, one that wasn't even a shadow of his normal smile but was better than nothing.

With a nod, Ennoshita heads back to the bus and Noya is alone again.

He's out there long enough for the charcoal to go cold before he hears footsteps again, "It's fine, chikara, I'll be inside soon," He says without looking up.

"Chikara's actually already asleep," A familiar voice says causing Noya to look up so fast that his neck cracks loud enough that the noise echoes in the silent woods around them.

"Tanaka," He says, his voice breathy. He can feel his heartbeat start to increase and his chest tightens and his breathing becomes shallower.

"I wanted to check in on you, make sure you were okay," The bald boy says rubbing the back of his neck nervously. The action was so familiar that Noya wanted to cry. Because of course Ryuu had noticed that he wasn't okay, and of course he decided to check up on him. That's just the type of human his best friend was.

"I'm fine," He croaks out, mimicking his earlier conversation with Ennoshita.

"No you're not," Tanaka says sitting down next to him.

Nishinoya scoffs, unable to stop himself from bitterly saying: "What would you know, you don't even know who I am,"

a moment of silence passes between them before Tanaka responds quietly. "You're right, I don't, but I still know that this isn't you, you aren't quiet and, and you're not small? I don't know how to explain it but it feels like you shouldn't be this small right now,"

A surprised laugh escapes Nishinoya, "Must be because my hair is normally spiked ten centimetres high," They chuckle.

Silence settles over them again soon after though and Tanaka finds himself fiddling with the hem of his shorts. "We're best friends, aren't we?" He finds himself asking.

"Yeah, we were,"

They could hear the sound of animals moving distantly in the trees and foliage.

"I'm sorry," Tanaka whispers suddenly.

"What?" Noya replies clearly confused. He watches his best friend, face illuminated by the mood enough for him to see the remorseful look on his face.

"I'm meant to be your best friend and you're here clearly hurting and I can't- I don't know how to- I'm a terrible friend," He exclaims suddenly while his best friend looks at him in shock.

"What the hell are you talking about Ryuu, you're hurt too and that's not your fault but there's nothing you can do about that. If anything, I'm the terrible friend here. I've been avoiding you just because it hurt me to see you knowing that you didn't remember me. I wasn't even thinking of how terrifying this must be for you right now," Nishinoya says using his arms expressively.

"It is, man it's so scary, but at least no one questions me or gets mad at me when I hang off that pretty boy's arm," Tanaka says with a smirk trying to lighten the mood. Apparently, it works because Nishinoya's laugh echoes out loudly in the clearing.

Eventually, they head back in, the two of them curling up together near a snoring Ennoshita.

They fall asleep as everyone else had.

It's not until hours later that the first person begins to stir. It's still dark out but the mood was bright enough to shine into his eyes making him groan at how much worse that made his headache.

He's had the weirdest dream, in which, they had all nearly died and Hinata was playing doctor and he swears that he heard Suga telling him he loved him while crying.

He finally opens his eyes, letting them adjust to the moonlight. He looks down at his chest where a head of soft grey hair was resting and realised, not all of it had been a dream. His hand comes up to comb through Suga's hair. Even if he couldn't currently see his face, he was sure that in this lighting, the boy would look purely angelic. Even the way the light was bouncing off his shiny hair, making it look like it was glowing was ethereal.

"Suga," He tries to whisper but his throat was dry and scratchy from disuse and dehydration. He tries instead to rouse the boy by pushing his shoulder, earning him a grumble for his efforts. In a last-ditch attempt, he pinches the other boy's shoulder hard enough for him to sit up quickly with a gasp of shock. When his red-rimmed eyes land on the culprit, they go comically wide.

"Daichi!" He says loud enough to make the boy flinch. He immediately kicks Asahi to wake him up, he wakes up slowly looking at the two in confusion before his eyes go wide too.

"Water?" Daichi croaks. he watches as the other two basically dive for a water bottle nearby with a soft smile.

Suga tentatively holds his head up so that he can drink without choking while Asahi moves to wake up Hinata. "What happened?" Their captain finally asks. The other boy's answer is interrupted as suddenly Daichi has his arms full of a red-haired spiker.

"You're awake," The smaller boy cries happily. Everyone else had started to wake up to, all in varying degrees of tears and happiness. Hinata quickly gathers himself, turning more serious, he clambers off the other boy so that he was sitting by him instead. "Alright, I need you to tell me where you feel any pain," The boy starts. Ennoshita starts rounding everyone back up, pushing them all back to where they were so that they could get some more sleep before the suns rays which were currently threatening to surpass the horizon woke them all up again.

Even Asahi is soon nodding off with a renewed sense of peace as Hinata continues his little medical exam and Suga sits up, clasping Daichi's hand between his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, took me long enough. Let me know your thoughts!


	16. Chapter 16

Michimiya was doing her best to keep it together for her team. It was Monday morning practice and the sadness, worry and fear were palpable in the room. 

This was the third day that the Karasuno boys volleyball team had been missing. 

Everyone in the team knew the boys, most were friends with them. Everyone was distracted, missing receives that they'd normally be able to get, being unable to block even the easiest of spikes. 

Things like this just don't happen. That's what all the girls were thinking. They happen on tv and to your mum's friend's sister's cousin. They don't happen this close to home. There was the irrational and slightly selfish fear of "that could have been us," that went unsaid among them. 

They get through the practice slower and with far less joy than usual and by the end, they're all just doing their best to hold it together. Not all of them are able to, Aihara breaking into tears as they walk by the gym the boys normally play in, the sound of silence setting her off. Her captain keeps her head high though, not willing to cry in front of her team. She watches as they all become vulnerable in their own ways, knowing she couldn't do the same, not yet at least. 

She just hoped above all else that Daichi was okay and not putting that same pressure on himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone got any other characters they want to see/ see more of? Also sorry this was tiny :/


	17. Chapter 17

The next morning started out different to the last, mainly because this time, Daichi was awake too. It seemed like his team couldn't stop looking at him, in disbelief of him even being awake.

Ennoshita stood for a moment, unsure of whether he should still give the team some instruction now that their captain was awake but the expectant looks that they were giving him told him that he didn't have much choice.

"Hey, you're the one who's been in charge this whole time and you've done so well so far, AND you know about everything already, I don't remember who coma boy is, but you're the one in charge here," Tanaka tells him quietly with a hand on his shoulder. He gives him a small nod and a soft smile that Tanaka exaggeratedly swoons at.

"Okay guys," He calls to attention watching as eleven heads turn to him, he looks at them all before deciding how he was going to divvy them up. He noticed in particular how Suga didn't seem willing to move more than an inch away from Daichi.

"Suga, why don't you take Daichi down to the river, get him caught up on everything that's been happening these past few days so he knows," He says ignoring Daichi's exclaimed "few days?"

The two leave letting Ennoshita divvy up the rest of the days' responsibility. They walk slowly, both still in quite a lot of pain from their injuries, Sugas back screening in pain with every movement that was too large and Daichi wincing against the bright sun and the loud noises of nearby birds calling out that were making his head want to explode.

"Ennoshita has been doing a really good job of leading the group," Suga says quietly, a hint of pride slipping into his voice.

"Why didn't you an Asahi take charge?" Daichi asks, "Not that I blame you guys for not or anything, it's just, well you're the eldest here so I just thought," He rushes to try to explain wincing as he only made it sound worse.

He hears Suga's soft angelic laugh that automatically settles the anxiety that had started to take hold of his chest. "It's okay Daichi, I know what you mean. Uh, well, Asahi is, well, he's Asahi, not exactly a born leader and I," Suga pauses and Daichi looks over at him seeing his cheeks a rosy pink that they weren't a moment ago. "I was too scared to leave you," Suga finally admits.

Daichi reaches out linking their hands, too preoccupied with the flush of Suga's cheeks to think of the weird feeling of their sweaty palms. "Thank you,"

They don't talk the rest of the way to the river, they don't untangle their hands either though.

Daichi couldn't help but admit that the river was quite beautiful. Surrounded by lively green trees and contrasting grey rocks. The water looked clear, almost ridiculously so, enough so that Daichi was sure he could see fish swimming down the stream.

The view was made even more beautiful though when his friend stepped out in front of him to pull him towards the water. They sat down and Daichi couldn't help but be enthralled by the way the sun was shining on Sugas face, making his eyes appear more hazel than brown.

It was a word Daichi had often thought of when thinking of Suga, but it had never fit so well as it does now. Angelic.

"Most of us are okay, you've uh, you've been unconscious since Friday night,"

"What day is it now?" Daichi asks.

"Monday,"

Daichi looks at Suga with wide eyes. He was unconscious for a full two days. He couldn't help but feel the guilt well up in his chest. That's forty-eight hours that his best friends, his team were all alone, hurt and scared. Forty-eight hours that he wasn't there to help and look out for them. He was meant to be their captain, they're meant to be his responsibility. Their Sensei's had trusted him.

"You, Yamaguchi, Narita, Kinoshita and Tanaka got it the worst," Suga continues. Daichi's eyebrows furrow, he'd seen how bad Narita looked, laid out on the ground and pale, and even Yamaguchi and Kinoshita's pained looks whenever they accidentally moved their injured limbs but he'd have thought Tanaka was one of the few uninjured. "Yamaguchi broke his foot, Kinoshita his arm, Narita we're pretty sure he was impaled in the side with some glass, there was a lot of blood but Hinata seemed pretty sure that it didn't hit anything important,"

Daichi winces at that. Even he knew that even if nothing major was damaged, Narita was still in danger from blood loss and the threat of infection. The boy could still die if they didn't get him help soon. "And Tanaka?" He asks almost afraid to hear an answer.

Suga takes a deep breath. "He wasn't wearing his seatbelt when we went down, I- I told him to but I didn't do anything to make sure he did," Suga says staring blankly at the water.

"None of this is your fault Suga, Tanaka is a big boy, he shouldn't have needed you mothering him and telling him to put a seatbelt on anyway, if this is anyone's fault its mine," He interrupts himself with a humourless laugh, "I'm the one who drove us off a fucking cliff,"

Suga holds himself back from lecturing him about his use of language but looks critically at his friend. "No one blames you. We were all there, we saw what happened, if you didn't react as quickly as you did, we would have been buried. We would have definitely died. You gave us a fighting chance,"

Daichi doesn't say anything, choosing instead to turn the topic back to his juniors.

"Ennoshita found Tanaka over there," Suga says pointing down the river, "He wasn't breathing and he'd hit his head on a rock," Daichi had noticed the large scabbing gash on the back of the boys head but had hoped it was just a surface wound. "He doesn't remember anything,"

"What like about the accident?" Daichi asks, not wanting to believe it was anything worse. Suga's silence tells him otherwise.

He can understand why Suga is so worried about him now, why everyone must be. Brain injuries are scary and unpredictable, he might never get his memory back, or he could drop dead in two minutes from bleeding in his brain and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

"And everyone else?"

"Kageyama hurt his wrist but seems fine, Tsukishima is hiding that he's in pain but Kageyama has been helping him out," This causes Daichi's eyebrows to shoot up.

"If you think that's shocking, you should have seen how the four of them were all cuddled up together the past nights, too cute," Suga chuckles.

"Ennoshita just has the cut on his face and some smaller cuts and bruises, Nishinoya, he seems fine but, I don't know, Asahi's been looking after him a lot. Asahi dislocated his shoulder but Hinata who's is almost completely unharmed popped it back in for him,"

Daichi lets out another laugh "I thought it was all a dream you know," He says causing Suga to look at him with confusion. He pulls their still linked hands into his lap looking down at them. "I mean, who wouldn't think that Hinata of all people playing doctor and doing it well, not to mention," He pauses before making a decision. "Not to mention hearing the man you're in love with say that he needs you, that he's in love with you too,"

He finally looks up, eyes meeting Sugas wide hazel-brown ones. "Y-you," the other boy stutters in disbelief.

"I love you Koushi," He tells him just in case there was any doubt. Suddenly he feels chapped lips on his own. The feeling is uncomfortable and surprising but Daichi happily kisses the other boy back anyway and when they pull apart, its with large smiles.

Nishinoya could see his captain and vice-captain sitting with their heads bent together. He couldn't help a small smile to himself at the site as he moved towards the berry bushes away from them with Asahi behind him.

"Took them long enough," He hears the gentle giant say happily.

"Yeah, it was a long time coming," Nishinoya replies with a chuckle. Asahi smiled at the sound, having missed it these past few days. It seems that whatever the other second years had said to him had really helped. He still wasn't completely back to his usual happy self but the older boy couldn't blame him for it. He was just happy to see any little bit of happiness on his teammates face. "I gotta admit, I'm a little jealous of them, I wouldn't mind having a tall handsome man of my own to be all lovey-dovey with," Nishinoya says giving the taller man a significant look.

"Wait, I thought you were in love with Kiyoko," Asahi replies, shock tinging his voice as the two of them pick berries.

Nishinoya laughs. "I'm in love with Kiyoko the same way kindergarten kids 'fall in love' with their teachers. Kiyoko is a goddess and she is beautiful and kind and I admire her a lot but I don't think I could ever date her,"

"So, you're into guys then?" Asahi asks, trying to sound as casual as he can.

"I uh, I'm pretty sure I'm bisexual actually, what about you?" The smaller boy asks eagerly.

"Yeah, I uh, I'm into guys too but I'm pretty sure I'm demisexual," Asahi replies rubbing the back of his neck and trying not to feel embarrassed about it. He knew it wasn't normal for guys like him not to like sex, he had thought that part of him was broken until not too long after he and Nishinoya became friends. It took a lot of searching on the internet and tear-filled conversations with Suga for him to find a label that fit him. He was glad he did though, glad that he had proof that he fit somewhere. He still didn't feel normal as much as Suga tried to convince him he was.

"Oh yeah, I think I read about that,"

"You? reading?" Someone else says from not far away interrupting their conversation. The two of them look up to find Tsukishima and Kageyama walking towards them, arms full of empty water bottles in need of filling.

The tall blond and the short libero end up harmlessly bickering while they complete their assigned jobs, Asahi laughs aloud when he and the setter lock gazes for a second and Kageyama rolls his eyes.

They could all feel the sun pinkening their skin as they played around acting as if everything was normal. If only it was true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I promised my friend Kagehina this chapter but I lied sorry. Soon tho! I promise! Tell me your thoughts in the comments!


	18. Chapter 18

It was normal for Bokuto to have his odd slumps with his emotions, but he'd never felt this low for this long. He never had a reason to until now.

It was midday on Monday and the Fukurodani ace was laying in bed ditching school. He'd hardly actually gotten out of bed since hearing the news of the Karasuno team late Saturday evening. He couldn't help but think of his little chibi-chan, the little energetic orange-haired player who he liked to think of as his protege.

He couldn't get him or the rest of the team of his mind. Hinata, Daichi, Tsuki, all his friends from Karasuno. What if they're all dead? His sleep had been plagued with dreams of the team, somewhere out there covered in blood, their bodies lifeless.

He currently had every news website covering the story open on his computer and was going from tab to tab pressing refresh. He could feel himself getting a little bit more dejected each time the page came up with no new news.

"Bokuto-san?" A voice pulls him out of his haze, he looks up to find Akaashi at his door waiting for an invitation in.

"Akaashi? what are you doing here?" Bokuto says sitting up. He manages to muster a small smile for the younger boy, he knew he must be worried about their friends too.

"You weren't at school today, I was worried," Akaashi says. Bokuto checks the time finding that somehow four hours had passed without him even realising. "You're mum let me in," Akaashi then says drawing his friend's attention back.

He had never seen his captain look this sad. Having dealt with the boy's moods for the past two years, he thought he'd seen everything, he thought he knew how to deal with anything but he'd never seen this. He hated seeing the emotion akin to grief in his friend's eyes and he hated not knowing what to do about it.

"They'll be okay Bokuto-san," He tries to reassure, placing his hand on the older boys shoulder.

"Don't lie Akaashi," The other boy replies angrily swatting away Akaashi's hand and making the boy's eyes go wide. He watches as the ace curls in on himself. "They're not going to be okay, they're going to be scared and hurt and damn it Akaashi they're probably dead," Bokuto sobs, his voice getting louder and louder until he's shouting the last few words.

At this point, Akaashi had no idea what to do, no idea how to help his friend. He could feel his own tears welling in his eyes, partially from his own worry and fear and partly from his teammate yelling at him. He finds himself reacting to his own emotion, his actions completely selfish as he crawls under the covers with Bokuto and worms his way into his arms.

Bokuto looks down shocked at the sudden display of affection but upon seeing his friend's tear-stained cheeks he wordlessly pulls him closer, burying his face in the top of his dark hair in silent apology for his outbreak.

"They'll find them, they'll be safe and unharmed," Akaashi says this time sounding more like he was saying it to himself than anyone else. Bokuto just draws him closer, willing himself to believe that too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have some sad fluff :) comment, please! I, like Bokuto, need constant validation :)


	19. Chapter 19

The day was going fine, good even, up until the moment when Narita closed his eyes unable to keep them open any longer.

At first, the others thought he was sleeping, until they noticed the harsh shivers racking his body. Kinoshita moved over from where he was having a quiet conversation with Yamaguchi to press a hand to his friend's sweaty forehead. He finds himself on instinct almost retracting his hand from the pure heat that seemed to be coming from his skin.

Yamaguchi and Kinoshita exchange a worried glance.

"Go find Hinata and Ennoshita, I'll watch him," Yamaguchi says, wincing as he shuffles over without getting up. Kinoshita doesn't say anything, just runs out of the bus and towards the river as fast as he can.

His arm bounces painfully in the sling making tears threaten to spill out of his eyes but he keeps running until he's bursting out from the tree line and stumbling on rocks. He looks around frantically finding no sign of the short red-head.

"Kinoshita?" Daichi asks noticing how frantic the boy looks. Ennoshita notices too, moving towards him.

"Where's Hinata? It's Narita, we need him," Kinoshita says, panting heavily. His words draw the attention of the rest of the team who have now turned their full attention to the boy.

"He was looking for firewood around the bus," Ennoshita says.

"I thought he was here!" The other second year then exclaims turning to head back to find the first year. Everyone begins to follow, the first years lagging behind as they quickly finish refilling the water bottles and attempt to arrange them in their arms as fast as possible.

Soon, they're back at the site with a worried Hinata in tow. They all find themselves crowding around Narita as Hinata crouches by his side pulling the blood-stained spare training T-shirt that they had used as a bandage from his side.

He could tell already that a fever was causing the shaking and the laboured breathing. It only takes one look at the now grotesque injury to know that an infection was what was causing the fever.

Those close enough to see find themselves turning away or clutching their eyes shut. Asahi even finds himself running from the room and he can be heard throwing up somewhere outside.

"Well, what do we do Hinata?" Yamaguchi asks nervously.

"You can fix it right?" Kinoshita then asks.

Everyone else begins to chime in, their words overlapping and washing over Hinata as one big loud sound.

"I don't know," He says so quietly he's not even sure Narita would have been able to hear him if he was awake. Everyone pauses in their panicked talking, attention turned back to the smaller boy. "He has an infection, that's why he has a fever, but, I- I don't know what to do," He says wide eyes locking in a gaze with Suga's sorrow-filled ones.

"But, you're mean to know! You helped everyone else! why won't you help Narita!" Kinoshita bursts.

"I'm sorry," Hinata says, eyes filling with tears, "I'm so sorry," He says before bolting out of the room and out of their established campsite.

"Hinata!" Kageyama calls after him before taking off too leaving the rest of the team huddled worriedly.

"Fevers happen when your body is trying to fight off infection right, like when you have a cold?" Tsukishima says stepping up, some of the others nod acknowledging his words. "So maybe we should treat it like one?" He then suggests. Yamaguchi looks up at him with the proudest smile.

"That's a good idea Tsuki," He tells the taller boy.

"Shut up Yamaguchi," The blond replies turning away with a blush at the compliment.

"Sorry, Tsuki," The freckled boy replies with a light chuckle, not sounding sorry at all and making the corners of Tsukishimas lips twitch up slightly.

This reinstalls a small sense of hope in the group as they all turn to focus their attention on their injured teammate.

Kageyama felt like he'd been running for hours by the time he caught up with Hinata, lunging at the boy and taking them both to the ground. If they hadn't been living solely off the berries they'd found and the scraps of meat they'd gotten from the few animals they'd managed to catch, that might have actually been possible. But in reality, with their still healing bodies and lacklustre diet, they had ended up not too far past the river.

Kageyama lands painfully on his wrist causing him to let out a shout and collapse of top of Hinata who was now on his stomach pinned to the ground. The smaller boy freezes underneath him as Kageyama rolls off of panting as he lays on his back. He turns his face to look at Hinata only to find the boy already looking at him.

"I win," He says with a smirk causing Hinata to let out a wet sounding chuckle. That's when Kageyama takes a proper look at him and realised he's still crying. "Come on, we're covered in dirt now, let's go back to the river and try to wash some of it off," He says trying to channel the same comforting energy that Sugawara has.

The taller boy leads the way, not letting Hinata move too far from him for fear that he'd run away again. They crouch down at the water's edge and Kageyama takes Hinata's bloody and dirty hands in his own, being gentle with his own injured wrist. He pushes them under the water, slowly and gently rubbing them clean. "Why'd you run off?" He asks carefully.

"I- I couldn't help Narita, I didn't know enough, again I didn't know enough and now he's going to die and it's all my fault," Hinata sobs, causing an ache in Kageyama's chest. He hated seeing him this way, had hated it even back in middle school before they were even friends. It didn't feel right, even back then, for the small boy not to be the literal human embodiment of sunshine.

"How the hell is that your fault, we were in an accident, we're all lucky to be alive as it is," Kageyama argues.

"But I needed to be able to help him!" Hinata argues back.

"You already did! He would have died days ago if it weren't for you!"

It was the truth, if Hinata hadn't been there when it happened to apply pressure to the wound, if he hadn't been there to continue to do so, if he hadn't been there to clean it and redress it and tell them how important it was for Narita to stay hydrated, he wouldn't have made it this long. But that wasn't enough for Hinata. "He might still die!"

"Why do you feel like it's your responsibility to save everyone!" Kageyama Exclaims frustratedly finally angrily letting go of the other boy's hands.

"Because I couldn't save my dad!"

A silence falls around them as Kageyama looks at Hinata with wide eyes.

"What happened to your dad?" He asks gently. He knew that Hinata's dad wasn't around but he'd never heard anyone speak about him, not even once.

"it was a couple of years ago, a year after Natsu was born. We were driving home down a quiet back road, it was really early in the morning, I can't even remember why we were out, but an animal ran out onto the road dad swerved the car flipped," Hinata's voice comes out void of emotion sounding almost robotic, something the setter found more worrisome than if he'd been uncontrollably sobbing so he moves closer, their shoulders now pressing together.

"There was," Hinata's voice gets caught in his throat, "There was a piece of glass, right here," He points to somewhere in the centre of his stomach. "And there was so much blood, everywhere, and- and I couldn't get out because of the seatbelt, but he was okay and he was checking up on me," He lets out a sarcastic laugh, "He was acting as if I was the one with a pool of blood forming underneath me,"

"We were stuck there for hours, like, I think they said we were like that for three hours or something, but, my dad stopped replying, I tried to wake him, but it- it didn't work, ten minutes later, Another car drove past us and called an ambulance, They were there in less than five minutes but he was already gone,"

Hinata finds himself sobbing into his friend's chest as the last words leave his mouth.

"You couldn't have done anything, it wasn't your fault," Kageyama tries to comfort.

"But I could have! I-if I'd just known to put pressure on it, maybe he would have survived long enough for the paramedics, maybe he'd still be alive today," He sobs.

"Maybe, or maybe not, maybe he would have died on the way to the hospital, maybe he would have died in surgery, there is nothing you could have done Hinata, you're just a kid and you shouldn't be expected to save us all," Kageyama says rocking the other boy slightly.

He can't even begin to imagine how Hinata was feeling, having gone through not one but two traumatic events with the added pressure of feeling like he was responsible for whether they died or not. He squeezes the boy tightly in his arms. Kageyama found himself feeling admiration for his friend, he reached up to run his fingers through his now knotted red hair gently and decided right then and there that he would do whatever it takes to make sure Hinata would never have to feel this pain or any pain ever again. He would protect him and he would make sure he is happy as much as he can. 

They stay where they are, clutching on to one another tightly until Suga comes searching for them and calls them back to the camp with a gentle voice. Kageyama refuses to let go of the shorter boy, even as they walk back, linking their hands and walking with his shoulder almost pressed right up against his friends. Hinata didn't mind one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you pinpoint the exact moment I started crying while writing this?


	20. Chapter 20

Kindaichi and Kunimi were sitting in their maths class, neither of them able to concentrate on maths. It wouldn't matter for Kunimi who would easily be able to make it up later, he was smart that way.

Kunimi could see out of the corner of his eye how Kindaichi kept flickering his gaze over to him. They'd both played volleyball with Tobio in middle school. It didn't matter that they still didn't like him, they felt the worry and grief just like everyone else who knew the team. They went through the day just going through the motions. Neither would be able to tell you a single thing that happened that Monday, too preoccupied in their own thoughts.

They sat together for lunch as they normally would, this time the absence of their easy conversation noticeable. Neither made any move to change that and both were grateful for that fact. Every now and then one of them would pull out their phones to check the news, shaking their head at the other when they wordlessly asked if there was any news.

They were grateful when they got a text from Iwaizumi saying that practice was optional that day, both opting to head to their respective homes after school.

They spent the day in complete silence, they weren't the only ones.

Iwaizumi couldn't help but sourly noting to himself that grief sure did quieten his captain. He among the rest of the team suddenly regretted ever telling Oikawa to shut up because a silent Oikawa was a depressing one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised while writing this that I really didn't know a lot about these characters but this is how I feel like they'd react, (It's the vibe I got)
> 
> Also, fun fact, my longest fic before this one was like 11000 words, this one is now 20000 and I have no idea how much more I'm going to write for this. I literally did not plan out a single thing for this, I've been straight up winging it since chapter 1
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated :)


	21. Chapter 21

That night was different than the rest. For starters, Daichi was awake and secondly, worry for Narita had made all of them quiet and sullen. 

The second years had formed a sort of barrier around Narita, with Kinoshita at his injured side, protecting him from outside elements while Ennoshita was on his other side, pressed right up against the injured boy in order to provide warmth. Tanaka was spooning Ennoshita while Nishinoya was curled in a ball above the other boy's heads. 

He had, of course, dragged Asahi with him who was curled around him in a similar manner to Tanaka and ennoshita, this had prompted Suga and Daichi to settle just behind him, the pair snuggled together with Suga's back pressed up against Asahi. 

Neither of them was surprised when Hinata came up to them asking if it was okay for him to lay by them with a nervous-looking Kageyama behind him. Upon saying yes, Hinata immediately positioned himself under Daichi's arm, snuggling up to his chest and making himself seem smaller and younger than the older boys had ever seen him. Kageyama follows, covering Hinata's back with his chest and pinning their captain's arm between them. 

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima were the last to join the odd little cuddle pile situating themselves just above the other first years and third years heads, Yamaguchi throwing an arm over Tsukishima so that his fingertips are brushing his captains shoulder. 

It was warm and comfortable and almost made it possible to ignore the now predominant smell of blood and rotting flesh.

"I miss my mum," Daichi hears someone sniffle, the honesty and pure vulnerability shocking him. 

"So do I," Someone else echoes. 

"I miss Natsu," Hinata says making both Daichi and Kageyama tighten their grips on him. 

Ennoshita feels Tanaka's grip tighten on him and a wetness where his face is pressed. He finds himself putting his hand over Tanaka's as a show of support. 

Out of everyone, it's quite possible that Tanaka had it the hardest when it comes to pissing people. At least everyone else can think about times with the people they miss, they can think about what it was like to see them smile to see them laugh. Tanaka had no idea who it was that he was missing, but he still felt that significant ache in his chest and a sense of longing for some family that he couldn't even recall. He hated that. 

"It doesn't seem like anyone's going to sleep any time soon," Ennoshita says just loud enough to be heard over the soft sniffles that had started filling up the room, "How about we talk for a bit? maybe we can tell each other about someone we miss?" He suggests surprisingly earning varying levels of agreement. 

"I miss my dad," Daichi starts when no one else speaks up, "He's uh, a lot like Takeda-sensei, smart good with words, he always knows what to say to cheer me up or make me laugh. He also tells the dumbest jokes like there was this one time, that Asahi came over, and you know how he looks like Jesus," This comment earns some snickers and an indignant "I don't!" from Asahi. 

"Well he went up to Asahi and asks 'You know how to make holy water right?' and of course for some reason, Asahi actually does know how to make Holy water so he started explaining it and dad just interrupts him with the biggest grin and goes 'you boil the hell out of it' and then puts on the kettle. God Asahi's face afterwards," The captain snickers along with the rest of the team, feeling Hinata's adorable giggles against his ribs and Suga's louder chuckle against his neck. 

"Oh god yeah this one time when we were first years, Saeko- ah Tanaka, your sister, came to pick you up from practice and she was so hungover just as we walked out she said really loudly 'Oh Jesus christ please make this headache go away," Nishinoya starts laughing almost hysterically, "a-and this- this big oaf, he walks up to her to o-offer her some painkillers," He breaks off into laughter, Asahi can't even bring himself to be annoyed with the smaller boys inability to finish his story, too caught up in the glorious sound of his laughter, something that everyone in the group had been missing for the past few days. 

"She just looked at him," Kinoshita continues laughing softly, "with such shock and then promised him she would start attending church and he was so confused,"

"It was adorable," Noya exclaims loudly and Asahi feels heat rush to his cheeks. 

"You think I'm adorable?" He asks softly enough for no one else to be able to hear over their own laughter. Nishinoya turns in his grasp, looking up from where his face was now pressed into the hard muscle of the older boys chest. 

"Very adorable," He says quietly with a shy smile. Asahi felt a large grin split across his face. He usually hated getting complimented, often too worried about whether they were honest or true to actually take the compliment as it was but from Noya it was different. A compliment from the second year was somehow able to hit him right in the heart making him melt into a happy puddle of goo. He never had to worry about if Nishinoya meant it because Nishinoya always told him the truth, no matter what.

It was one of the things he loved about him. 

He finds himself pressing his forehead to Noya's both of their eyes closed as they ignored their team around them, even as the other boys continued laughing and telling their stories. 

Asahi felt much braver with his friends at his back -literally in the case of Suga who was pressed against him from shoulder to ass- and his eyes closed and so, with the added support of his friends around him, he whispers the three little words that have been in his head all year but he'd been too afraid to say. 

"I love you,"

He doesn't feel Noya pull away from where he was pressed tightly against his chest so he takes that as a good sign. "Asahi, open your eyes," He hears Noya whisper and so he does, coming face to face with Noya's eyes, alight with happiness to match the smile on his lips. "I love you too," He says before placing a brief kiss on the older boys lips. 

"Ugh gross, Asahi and Noya are kissing," Narita whines jokingly, his voice breathy and shaking from the effort it took him to say those simple words. 

Everyone around them laughs and there are various exclamations of "damn finally," especially from Suga who proudly reaches behind him to pat Asahi's hip in congratulations. 

They continue talking as a group even as some of them start nodding off, Narita and Kinoshita being among the first, Yamaguchi quickly following and Suga not too long after, though he is woken up at Daichi's booming laugh when Hinata loudly exclaims "I bet Kageyama misses milk the most, this is probably the longest he's gone without it," 

"Shut up idiot," Kageyama had thrown back pinching the soft skin under Hinata's ribs. The action only results in the smaller boy laughing more, his laugh contagious enough that Daichi couldn't help but join in, especially when Tsukishima eloquently points out "King didn't deny it," And Kageyama just grones in response Hiding his face in the shoulder of the still laughing orange-haired boy. 

Soon enough, the sun is starting to make its way above the horizon and everyone is asleep except for Daichi and Hinata who was lazily drawing little volleyballs -no not circles, volleyballs- on Daichi's chest as both of their eyelids began to droop. 

"You know I'm proud of you, right kid?" Daichi says softly beaking off into a yawn. Hinata's fidgetting freezes as he looks up at the older boy in surprise. 

"You are?" He asks vulnerably. Daichi's eyes hadn't opened back up after that yawn but he was still awake enough to give the smaller boy a small "mhm" and nod. 

"Thanks, Dad," The orange-haired boy says only partly joking making Daichi crack one eye open to look at the smaller boy. He leans forward pressing a parental kiss to the top of the unruly orange hair, "Sleep now," he tells the small boy before he finds himself drifting off into dreamland.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured I'd apologise for so much Deadchi with some Dadchi, also I finally planned something out (not really, most of it is just question marks) but there's probably like six more chapters and then this is finished? yikes :)


	22. Chapter 22

It was Tuesday morning and Yaku was starting to notice that his teammates, except for Lev, were ignoring him. He can't help but snarl in anger. He also doesn't notice Lev flinch where he stretches and cools down next to him. 

Yaku was angry. He was mad at his teammates for ignoring him, he was mad at his captain Kuroo for letting them, he was mad at Lev for flinching but most of all, he was mad at whatever asshole god was out there that let the Karasuno team fall into danger. 

Yaku was angry, more so than usual, and Lev was starting to get the bruised to prove it. 

Lev watched the shorter boy as they walked out of the gym, watching as his lips turned up into a vicious snarl at anyone who dared to look at him. He even can't help but flicker his gaze over to Yaku as he aggressively gets changed into his school uniform, almost popping the buttons on his jacket as he aggressively does them up. 

He rushes to catch up with him as he begins to head to his classes. 

"Yaku wait up!" He calls out ignoring the wide-eyed warning looks his teammates sent him. 

"What?" Yaku snaps back loudly, clenching his fists as the tall first year approaches him. Lev doesn't say anything until he's standing so close that their toes are almost touching. Yaku looks up into the younger boys eyes challengingly as Lev worries at his lip with his teeth. 

"They'll be okay Yaku," Lev tells him, face earnest and voice soft. Apparently, that's all it takes for four days of accumulating worry and anger to crumble into loud sobs. He throws himself at Lev, something he'll never admit to doing, wrapping his arms around the tall boy's neck and burying his head in his shoulder. 

Lev stands frozen for a moment, hunched over to accommodate the other boy who was still on his tiptoes but soon Yaku felt long lanky arms wrapping securely around his waist. 

No one said a word as they passed the two. Privately, Kuroo was proud of Lev for looking out for his upperclassmen and somehow knowing what he needed when no one else did. 

Yaku went to his classes feeling far more empty than before, the hole in his chest that had held his anger now consumed with worry instead. 

At least his teammates had stopped ignoring him. If only the rest of the issues on that list would be fixed too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we finally made it to 100 kudos? tf? yay? I think I'm starting to run out of steam though, I can feel the chapters getting shorter. Comments give me motivation though! Anyway, I hope y'all are enjoying this story :)


	23. Chapter 23

It was now official.

The Karasuno team had some really bad luck.

That's the only explanation for why this morning of all mornings, they'd wake up with a bear rummaging through their campsite and trying to find a way into the bus. Thankfully it was too preoccupied with the berries outside to enter through the windows, yet at least.

Kageyama clamps a hand over Hinata's mouth preventing the smaller boy from screaming in fear as his own wide-eyed gaze flickers between his captain and Ennoshita.

"We need to get to higher ground, make his meal not worthwhile," Everyone looks to Tsukishima in shock.

"We watch a lot of animal documentaries," Yamaguchi replies for him with a small smile.

"How the hell are we meant to do that, what about those who can't walk? How are they meant to climb?" Kinoshita asks looking down worriedly at Narita.

"We could always just leave them to die," Tsukishima says in a monotonous voice causing everyone's attention to turn to him once more filled with shock.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi exclaims with a small laugh letting everyone know that he was just joking.

Ennoshita rolls his eyes at the two first years. "Asahi, do you think you can take Narita and carry him up a tree or something?" He asks weary of Asahi's shoulder that was still paining him. He was still easily the strongest amongst them.

"Okay everyone, once Ennoshita says your name and tells you what you're doing, go as fast as you can okay?" Daichi says keeping his voice level and directing Asahi to the windows opposite the side where the bear was. Asahi carefully lifts Narita over his good shoulder, wincing at the pained groan that the boy released.

"Noya help Kinoshita," Ennoshita instructs trying not to waver under the immense pressure he was now under. "Tanaka, can you carry Yamaguchi?" Tsukishima starts to protest not wanting to let his best friend go in such a dangerous situation but all it takes is a gentle prod to his ribs from Kageyama to remind him that this was probably the best option.

"Daichi, keep an eye on Suga, you know he'll act like he's fine even though his back is messed up," Ennoshita reminds. "Everyone climb as high as you can,"

They climb out of the bus as quietly as they can, the most injured of them already up ahead climbing trees.

They hear a loud roar behind them as the bear finally makes his way into the bus following the smell of blood and looking for an easy target. They throw themselves at the nearest tallest trees they can find, climbing as high and fast as they can.

Ennoshita was right behind Hinata, doing his best to help push his little legs up to the next branch. He could hear the animal approaching, circling the tree.

It leaps, one claw just barely catching on Ennoshitas leg, he screams out in pain as the skin tears from his knee down to his ankle. Tears well in his eyes as he continues to climb, "Ennoshita!" Various voices shout out in worry, most notably Tanaka who looks like he's about to try to jump down from his tree and make his way over to the other second year's tree regardless of the deadly threat between them.

"I'm fine," He grits out. Truth be told, he couldn't even really feel the pain, the adrenaline in his blood making him focus at the much larger threat. "Keep climbing!" He calls pulling his leg up just fast enough to avoid getting caught by the sharp claws again.

He looks over just in time to see the branch Tsukishima was standing on snap beneath his weight. "Tsukki!" Yamaguchi's bloodcurdling call echoes out above everyone else as his best friend falls to the floor before anyone can do anything about it.

"Fuck!" He shouts loudly, wincing at the amplified pain in the side of his chest as he hurries to his feet. "Okay, uh, I'm not food," Tsukishima tries to keep his voice calm and steady as the bear circles him, slowly approaching. It doesn't work as the bear charges at him.

Time freezes and Tsukishima can't help but think, this is it, he's going to die here. He's going to die in front of his teammates and cause them irreparable trauma. He's going to die in front of innocent Hinata, that alone felt like a crime, too much of his innocence already having been taken by this trauma. In front of the ever angry Kageyama who acted like he didn't like him even if they both knew that wasn't true. Would he become angrier after this? He was going to die in front of Yamaguchi. His eyes flick up to the nearest tree, his gaze locking with his friends one.

Yamaguchi. He had so many regrets. He never thought he'd die with regrets, never thought there would be anything that he would let himself care enough about to have regrets about. But there was Yamaguchi, and he cared about him so much.

He wanted to tell him. He wanted to make sure he knew how much he loved him but there wasn't time, there wasn't even enough time for him to open his mouth to screen let alone to say those words.

Three things happen at once, Kinoshita shouts out "No Noya don't!", Nishinoya jumps down from his tree and Tsukishima stumbles backwards, scrambling unsuccessfully trying to keep space between him and the bear.

Suddenly Nishinoya's in front of him, a large branch between his hands that he somehow manages to wedge perfectly between the bear's jaws, ducking out of the way of his claws and thanking every god he could think of for his volleyball sharpened reflexes as he pulls the first year up from the ground and climb up the nearest tree.

"Thank you Nishinoya-senpai," Tsukishima says shyly when they get a safe enough distance from the ground to stop climbing, coming up to a branch where Tanaka and Yamaguchi were settled and resting beside them.

Tanaka had his arm tight around Yamaguchi's waist as if to hold him back from jumping down and fighting the bear himself. Knowing his best friend, Tsukishima wouldn't be surprised if that was exactly the reason, broken foot be damned.

"Well, I did promise to have your back, that applies off the court too, especially for my favourite kohai," Nishinoya replies breathlessly and earning an indignant squawk from Hinata and Kageyama just a tree away.

The bear was still below them circling the trees but Tsukishima ignored it, eyes meeting his best friends wide fearful ones as his heart beat painfully in his chest.

"Tanaka, swap branches," He demands.

Tanaka looks down at Yamaguchi who was still unable to take his wide eyes off Tsukishima and nods instantly. Tanaka climbs down to the branch Noya was still settled on as Tsukishima climbs up to the space behind Yamaguchi that the older boy had just vacated.

The blond settles behind the smaller boy, legs straddling the thick branch and arms coming around his best friend tightly. He feels him shaking in his arms before a few soft sobs escape him. "I'm so scared Tsukki," he sobs quietly.

Noya and Tanaka look at each other before turning their attention away from the first years, doing their best to give them their privacy.

"I know," Tsukishima replies nuzzling into his friend's neck as he holds him tight.

"I can't lose you Tsukki," Yamaguchi says, turning his torso slightly so that he could press his forehead affectionately against his best friends.

"I- I can't lose you either Tadashi," He whispers back, voice shaking.

"I love you," The smaller boy says before pressing forward, closing the gap between them. Tsukishima kisses back instantly, the touch soft but desperate, more like several smaller kissed than just the one. The way they were sitting didn't make it exactly comfortable but neither of them complained.

"When did you get so brave?" Tsukishima asks with a small smile, pressing his lips to Yamaguchi's once more happily. "I love you too,"

Nishinoya and Tanaka exchange a smile as they look up at their kohai, neither of them having been able to give them their privacy for too long, they were just too adorable.

Noya found himself looking over at Asahi, catching his worried gaze and the way Narita's blood was coating his shoulder. He could tell that Asahi was terrified and he knew him jumping into dangers way like that didn't help at all. He began planning in his head how he can make up for it, starting with planning out the perfect dates to take the third year on.

Everyone's arms and legs were beginning to cramp by the time the bear finally left having been distracted by something else. The sun was almost all the way down and the team could feel relief flooding their systems. More so when they heard something they'd been wanting to hear for the past four days.

Voices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) I have no regrets.


	24. Chapter 24

Takeda was sitting with Ukai on the other man's couch, a game of volleyball playing on the tv, not that either of them was paying much attention. The teacher was too caught up in the constant thought of "this is all my fault," and the coach was thinking too hard about what to say to let the teacher know that it wasn't his fault.

Ukai couldn't help but let his gaze settle on the teacher who was too busy wallowing in his own self resentment to even notice. The taller man was about to reach out to put a comforting hand on his shoulder when the shrill ringing of a phone interrupted the near silence of the room.

The two of them just looked at the cellphone o the table for a moment before Takeda picked it up with a shakey "Hello?"

Ukai found himself continuing to watch the teacher, as his facial expressions changed underneath his black-rimmed glasses.

"Yes, okay thank you," Takeda says hanging up the phone. He looks at the wall opposite, eyes wide in shock.

"What was that about?" Ukai finally asks in a voice more gentle than he'd ever used. The teacher turns to face him slowly, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"They found them," He whispers, bottom lip shaking, "They found the team," he sobs out laughing at the same time.

The coaches jaw drops in shock and he suddenly finds himself clutching onto the teacher as relieved sobs wrack through both of their bodies. They pull apart just far enough to press their foreheads together, eyes closed and smiling to themselves as their breaths mingle between them.

Takeda pulls away suddenly flushing pink with embarrassment, his flustered look making Ukai chuckle.

"We should call the girls, they'll be happy to hear the good news," Takeda announces reaching for his phone once more.

After they'd called Kiyoko and Yachi who had been staying together at the older girls house, they eventually promise to come to pick the girls up and head to the hospital, even if it was currently 9:30 at night and they likely wouldn't be able to see the boys until morning. Not a single one of them could wait at home any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something a little short and a little sweet :) (The fluff might be an apology for the bear I guess, I really sprung that one on you guys didn't I?) 
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments, please :)


	25. Chapter 25

Hinata wakes up to an annoying but steady beeping, a stark contrast to the sounds of the previous mornings. It takes him a moment to figure out where he was as his memories come back in flashes.

They were in the trees, then they heard voices, then they were back on the ground, and then it went black.

The curtain around his bed opens as a woman with short black hair and a white coat comes in. Upon noticing his alert state, she introduces herself but he completely misses her name, too occupied with trying to see who else was in the room and if they were okay.

"Hinata," she says drawing his attention to her finally. She gives him a kind smile. "We've got you attached to some monitors and we bandaged up most of your scratches but I'm sorry to say that a few of them will scar-"

"My friends, are they all okay? Narita, he- his wound was infected but it didn't look like any of his organs or anything was damaged but oh god what if I was wrong? what if they were and that's why it got worse and he's dead because of me? Oh god, I didn't mean to kill him, oh god, oh god," Hinata's short rambling starts off normally worried but quickly digresses shocking the doctor as she watches the small boy who likely saved the lives of many members of his team fall apart in front of them in fear.

The room around them which had previously been filled with the small sounds of some of his teammates went quiet.

"Hinata," Suga's soft voice manages to break through the guilt-induced trance-like state that the small boy had fallen into. The curtains open further allowing three of his teammates to slip into his area of the room near the doctor. "Hinata, shhh it's okay, Narita's in surgery, he's not dead, you did good kiddo," the eldest boy coos coming to stand at Hinata's side and brushing away the messy locks of orange hair from his forehead.

Hinata looks up at him and for a moment wonders if he'd actually fallen when he passed out and died. Sugawara Koushi was standing over him with the softest smile that somehow made you feel like everything was going to be okay. He looked like an angel, draped in a stark white hospital down with the bright light of the window behind him creating an ethereal like glow around him.

A soft touch to his hand snaps him out of his thoughts as he looks over to his other side finding Kageyama hesitantly putting his larger hand over the smaller boys. His eyebrows were furrowed, not in anger like the rest of the team was used to seeing but in something else. It took him a moment of staring deep into those blue eyes before he could figure out what the setters expression was showing. Worry.

With a sniffle, he startles only a little at Sugas hand brushing his wet cheeks and catching his fallen tears before leaning into the touch. He flips his hand under Kageyama's, lacing their fingers together tightly.

"Doc, could you please give us all an update on our friends?" Another voice says causing Hinata's attention to be drawn to the weight by his calves where Nishinoya sat, hair looking soft and fluffy where it fell around him instead of being spiked up.

The doctor clears her throat before giving the four boys a soft smile. She wasn't entirely sure how to handle the situation. If it was anyone else she'd be telling them to get back to their beds and that she couldn't disclose that kind of personal information but these young boys had been through so much and from the way they were huddled close together, she was almost afraid of what the effects of pulling them apart would be.

She chose her words carefully, trying her best to break as little of their confidentiality rules as she could.

"Sawamura Daichi is currently in surgery, he hit his head pretty hard and from what I'm told was out for a while so they're doing their best to make sure there won't be any long-lasting effects," Suga lets out a shuddering breath, not sure if that was good or bad, "Azumane Asahi just came out of x-ray, they were checking his shoulder that was dislocated, from what I'm told, it was put back in place remarkably well however the exertion of not resting it enough since has made it swell up, he will be in a fair amount of pain until it properly heals."

"Will he still be able to play volleyball?" Nishinoya asks worriedly. Asahi was their ace after all, and even though he didn't show his love for the sport like Shouyou or Kageyama did, Noya knew it was extremely important to him. The doctor gives him a soft look before nodding and Noya lets out a relieved breath.

"Kinoshita Hiashi was lucky he didn't have to get his arm re-broken, the makeshift splint he had on ensured that the bone began healing properly but we're going to keep an eye on it just in case," The doctor directs a look at Hinata while saying this, frankly she was still shocked from hearing his teammates recounts of all he did to ensure everyone came home okay. He was so small and young, its hard to believe that he would be a hero.

"Ennoshita had to get the cut on his cheek stitched up but he's pretty okay," She takes a deep breath before continuing onto the most injured of the volleyball team.

"Both Tanaka and Narita needed surgery, Tanaka is still in surgery right now, he had some severe bleeding in his brain and some damage to his frontal lobe. He's in very good hands but," She trails off sadly and Kageyama picks up for her.

"They don't know if he'll get his memory back do they?" He asks voice soft and quiet. She looks at the boy shocked, it was the first he'd spoken since he came in, refusing to even answer questions and having the grey-haired boy so it for him. She was shocked by how soft his voice was considering his perpetual look of anger and hatred. From the look of the boy in the bed, he was just as surprised, tightening his grip on his friend's hand.

Suga moves forwards, placing a hand on Nishinoyas back. The younger boy falls pack into the touch instantly and Suga rushes to catch him. His other hand leaves Hinata's curls that he'd been gently combing through and quickly comes up around Nishinoya who was curled as small as he could, knees pulled up to his chest and back pressed heavily against Suga's chest as the team captain lent uncomfortably over the bed. He didn't complain, neither did Hinata whose legs were trapped between them. Instead, the orange-haired boy just tugged Kageyama's hand to his chest and buries his face against the other boy's arm providing them both some comfort.

"And Narita?" Suga asks carefully.

The doctor looks at the four boys, wondering if she should continue. They were already in such distress, clutching onto each other as if their lives depended on it still. She wonders if maybe they did.

"Narita came out of surgery not long ago, you were right Hinata, the wound wasn't deep but the infection, that's what they're most worried about. He's on medication to help his body fight it but," She pauses taking a deep breath, "They've put him into a medically induced coma,"

Nishinoya lets out a pained sob that if the doctor didn't know any better, would make her assume he'd been physically hurt again.

Even Kageyama who had managed to remain pretty stoic up until this point had now lent over the bed in despair, hiding his face and any emotions it might be portraying in the orange hair of his best friend.

"Tsukishima Kei's surgery went well too,"

"Surgery?" Hinata's crackly voice interrupts the doctor confused and Kageyama winced.

"He hurt his ribs, he didn't want to tell you because he thought you had enough to worry about already," Kageyama murmurs to his friend without lifting his head.

"Does- does he not trust me?" Hinata whimpers clenching his eyes shut to try to hold back the tears. To him, it felt like a dumb thing to cry about when so many of your friends were still in so much pain.

"That's not it, I promise you that's not it," Kageyama whispers back, maneuvering the smaller boy to bring his free arm around him, wincing as it jostles his sprained wrist but holding his friend close was more important than his wrist right now.

Tsukishima may not have told Kageyama that he trusted Hinata but it wasn't hard to see. The blond and raven-haired boys were very much alike and over the past few days, seemed to have somehow managed to learn enough about themselves and each other to fairly accurately predict what was on the mind of the other.

He knew if they told Hinata and Yamaguchi this the smaller boys would joke about it being their 'quiet bully' personalities making them compatible.

"Why did he need surgery?" Noya asks carefully, arms coming up to grip at Suga's ones. Suga tightens his grip.

"One of his ribs punctured a lung during the rescue and the broken bones had been causing some smaller damage," The doctor says causing Hinata to let out a whimper again in sympathy.

"Yamaguchi's been with him since he got out of surgery, Yamaguchi is okay too, just his broken foot but the bokes should heal alright," And with that being said, the doctor found herself being ignored by the four patients and so she left the room.

She passes by the room holding Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, hearing their soft giggle filled conversation. "Oh my god look at her hair," Yamaguchi says giggling loudly now as the two of them looked out one of the large windows from their place carefully squished together on Tsukishima's bed, Yamaguchi's crutches were abandoned on the floor.

"She looks like an extra from a bad 80's western romcom," Tsukishima chuckles quietly reaching up to cover his mouth.

Yamaguchi reaches up pulling the offending hand away to see his best friend and now boyfriend's soft smile. He laces their fingers together and smiles up at the taller boy. "You're pretty when you laugh Tsukki," He tells him.

"Shut up Tadashi," Tsukishima replies, blushing but not looking away or trying to hide it.

"Sorry Tsukki," The smaller boy giggles again punctuating his obviously not genuine words with a soft kiss that he pressed to the other boy's lips.

The doctor smiles softly to herself from the doorway of the room, unnoticed by the two boys. She turns around, deciding not to interrupt the boys happy moment just yet, after all, they'd been through, they deserved all the happy moments in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got mad at my mum and like,,, everyone I know and life too so I wrote y'all another chapter, I hope you like it, leave some love please <3


	26. Chapter 26

Tanaka was just waking up from his surgery, he could feel a dull ache in his head, throbbing in time with the beeping of the machine next to him. The world made itself clear to him slowly, first, the strong smell of disinfectant and just general cleanliness, a stark contrast to the sent of nature and body odour from twelve boys who hadn't showered in far too long that he'd gotten used to.

Then, it was the sound of beeping and general distant bustling of people. After that came feeling, the softness of the bed under him, the warmth of the covers that were drawn up to his chin. The feeling of two hands, one in each of his, he gives them both a soft squeeze feeling the difference.

One of the hands holding onto his was small and delicate, the skin soft and grip lax. He quickly comes to the conclusion that it must be a girl and she must be asleep. In his other hand, a rougher larger hand, likely larger than his own, was gripping him tightly, holding on like a lifeline.

He finally manages to pry his eyes open looking towards the person attached to the larger hand.

"Chikara," he whispers happily.

"Ryuu, you're awake," The other second year says, eyes shining with happiness as he leans forward. There was also a sense of cation and worry tugging on his beautiful features.

"Are you okay?" Tanaka asks eyeing the bandage covering his friend's cheek. Ennoshita lets out a small chuckle shaking his head.

"You lost your memories and just got out of major surgery and you're asking me if I'm okay because I have a little scratch?" Ennoshita can't help but look at his friend in wonder, letting the expression show so openly that a breath catches in Tanaka's throat.

A shuffling from his other side interrupts them from their moment and Tanaka looks over to find a pretty woman, likely a couple of years older than him with blonde hair and a top with a low neckline that he pointedly avoids looking at feeling mildly grossed out by the thought.

He turns back to Ennoshita confused and silently asking for an explanation of who the woman is.

"That's your sister," The other boy says sadly as he realises that Tanaka didn't remember. He might never remember.

Tanaka's eyes go wide, "Saeko," He interrupts looking at the woman who was gently rousing from her deep sleep.

He remembered, not from Nishinoya talking about her, but somewhere else.

He vaguely remembers getting to his knees and pleading with her to drive Kageyama and Hinata somewhere after they did their practice exams. "Exams," he whispers aloud as his head starts to hurt even more.

Ennoshita's jaw drops. "Y-you remembered?"

The bald boy looks away sadly, "Not- not a lot," He mutters, disappointment evident in his voice, "But I remember Kageyama and Hinata failed their exams and I had to ask Saeko to drive them to- to- I don't know, somewhere and I remember... I remember you, you were the only reason me and Noya passed, I- I think you're the only reason I ever pass any of my classes," He says, eyebrows furrowed as he tries to remember something, anything else.

"Oh, I don't think I help you guys with your homework that much," Ennoshita replies confused but unbelievably relieved that Tanaka was remembering more. He couldn't help but feel a little bit sad however because he knew that any time soon he would remember Kiyoko and then all the attention he was getting, the soft awed looks and easy compliments would go away.

He thinks he'll miss the gentle touches the most, Ennoshita finds himself looking down at their still joined hands, watching as Tanaka thoughtlessly rubbed comforting circles on his skin.

"No," Tanaka says interrupting his thoughts, "I think I wanted to impress you,"

Ennoshita's mind suddenly was filled with all the times Tanaka had boasted to him about his occasional good grades, how his eyes were always happy when he did so and his full attention was turned to the other second year regardless of who else was in the room.

Saeko finally found herself waking up, not unlike her brother, she became aware of the world around her slowly. The second her eyes finally settled on her baby brother she found tears springing to her eyes and launched herself at him, clutching onto his chest as she sobbed into the white hospital gown right over his beating heart.

"I'm going to go check on the others, Daichi is in this room but I think he's still sleeping and Asahi already went to check on Noya," Ennoshita says quietly hesitating for a moment before pulling their joined hands up to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to the back of Tanaka's hand. He tries to say everything he can't say aloud with that small touch. Tries to tell him that he loves him even though he knows that Tanaka couldn't love him back, not really.

With a soft smile, he leaves the room.

"Oh god what if they all hate me, it's all my fault," Takeda says running his hands through his already unruly hair. Ukai sighs and steps forward placing his hands on the teacher's shoulders.

"Takeda, no one blames you but yourself, and that's because it wasn't your fault. Do you think it was in any way my fault?" The teacher shakes his head looking up at the coach with wide eyes that somehow held such innocence and such wisdom. "Then how can you blame yourself? as their coach, I am just as responsible for their wellbeing, and I told you to let them go,"

Yachi can't help but look at the two men in shock, she'd never seen the punk-looking man acting so soft and kind. She'd definitely never seen him able to comfort anyone this well.

"He's right," Ennoshita interrupts causing all eyes to turn to him so fast he almost questions if they'd been anywhere else. "None of us blame you, either of you, and I don't know how you're feeling right now Takeda-sensei but I think Daichi might, and I think when he wakes up, he might need your support,"

Suddenly the second year's arms were occupied by a small sobbing blonde as Kiyoko, Ukai and Takeda looked on in shock. Ennoshita gently wraps his arms around the junior manager, not wanting to frighten her. They hadn't gotten a chance to bond and become comfortably friends as she had with most of the other members of the club so Ennoshita couldn't help but feel his heart swell at the obvious display of affection.

"You'll make a good captain next year," Kiyoko says, her voice soft, barely above a whisper and Ennoshita cant stop the tears from building in his eyes as the other three nod in agreement. A compliment from Kiyoko was a big deal as it is but the mention of captain. Ennoshita could hardly believe he was even in the running for that position.

"Thank you Shimizu-san," He could easily see what the other second year saw in their manager, she was truly beautiful, as well as smart and kind. She was the perfect woman, anyone would agree to that. And Tanaka, in Ennoshita's partially biassed opinion was the perfect man, kind, compassionate, gorgeous inside and out. He couldn't help the brief thought that they would make a good couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo I actually wrote this and majority of chapter 27 (which was meant to be the epilogue but isn't gonna be cause I have more to write than I thought!) yesterday because I felt like everyone and everything in the world was trying to ruin my life and this is a good escape but anywayssss, I hope y'all are well, I hope y'all are enjoying this, please leave me some love in the form of comments and kudos :)


	27. Chapter 27

Kageyama had climbed into the bed next to Hinata awkwardly pulling the small boy back into his arms. Hinata seemed to have absolutely no qualms about climbing on top of the setter so that their fronts were pressed together from shoulders to toes, or at least Hinata's toes which due to his tiny legs were pressed against the other boys shins. He hid his face from the world in the space between Kageyama's neck and shoulder, turning his face so that his nose was pressed to the soft bit of skin below his neck.

Kageyama's arms came up around the smaller boy, easily helping to hide him from the world and trying his best to fight the pink flush from making it's way to his cheeks.

"Why are you hiding?" Kageyama whispers quiet enough for only Hinata to hear.

The orange-haired boy grips onto Kageyama's hospital gown tightly. "There's so much, everything is just a lot,"

"Idiot that sentence didn't even make sense," Kageyama points out, his voice lacking any real bite and instead full of affection. The tone made Hinata's heart leap in his chest, it didn't fix things but it helped a little bit. so did the normalcy of arguing with his teammate.

"Maybe that's 'cause you're just too stupid to understand something that makes perfect sense,"

It wasn't a secret that Kageyama didn't know how to deal with people, he didn't really know what to do when people were sad or how to compliment people. Hinata did seem to be the exception. While Kageyama still had no idea what to do or how to compliment him, he did understand him. And while his words didn't make sense, Kageyama still understood, Hinata was overwhelmed and no one could blame him for that.

The smaller boy had been through a lot, the intense responsibility that was thrust upon him, the trauma, the re-living a previous trauma. It was a lot.

And so, Kageyama held him close, doing his best to ignore the thin pieces of fabric that separated the two of them.

Kageyama feels Hinata brush his lips against his neck and represses a shiver but finds himself turning his head towards him. Hinata moves, lifting himself a little so that their noses are brushing.

The taller boy finds himself looking up into the ember eyes of his best friend. He could see every eyelash that framed his wide expressive eyes and the shadows they made. He could also see the residual sadness and fear clouding them. He closed his own eyes, vowing to himself to anything in his power to make it better.

He pulls the boy back down, nuzzling into his orange hair. "When we get out of here and my wrist is better, I'll toss to you as much as you want," He tells him.

"Really?" Hinata asks, the happiness returning to his voice making the corner of the setter's lips twitch up slightly in a rare, genuine, non-volleyball related smile. "You're the best Kageyama, I love it when you toss to me and the ball goes WOOSH and I can go SHOOM and POW and then the ball goes BANG on the other side of the net, its the coolest," Hinata says excitedly right into his ear, still keeping his volume low enough to not draw the attention of anyone else but loud enough to appropriately demonstrate just how excited he was.

"Shut up idiot," Kageyama tells him, his voice once again full of affection. Hinata giggles as heat rises to his cheeks.

"Is that all you know how to say Kageyama-Kun," Hinata teases with a loud and exaggerate yawn.

"Idiot, moron, dumbass," Kageyama lists, "anyway, that's better than 'woosh' and 'shoom'"

Hinata giggles again, his eyes staying closed the next time he blinks. "You make my heart go woosh and badumbadum," He mutters sleepily letting the warmth coming from his best friend lull him into dreamland.

He doesn't even here Kageyama's confused response of "Dumbass, what does that even mean? Oi, Hinata, what the hell does that mean?"

Soon Kageyama sighs in defeat, his own heart beating against his chest so hard that he doesn't know how it hasn't woken Hinata back up. He lets out a small grumble of frustration before closing his own eyes, comforted by Hinata's soft breaths on his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyway, here's 720 words of pure Kagehina fluff that I wrote instead of facing my responsibilities :)


	28. Chapter 28

"Hey everyone!" Lev's voice rings out in the room, quieter than it would normally be, but loud enough to draw everyone's attention, at least, everyone who was awake.

Daichi had finally woken up again and he was doing okay, still a little drowsy and sore but he was okay. He now had a haircut that matched Tanaka's that he wasn't too happy about though.

The room currently consisted of Daichi in his wheelchair by Suga's bed, Ennoshita on the chair next to him, Nishinoya, Suga and Asahi all huddled together on the same bed, and Hinata and Kageyama snoring quietly tucked into Hinata's bed across the room. Every now and then, one of the older boys would walk over to check up on them, tugging the blankets up over Hinata's shoulders each time.

"Hey, Lev, Yaku," Daichi replies quietly happy to see the tall first year pulling the Libero into the room.

"How are you guys?" Lev asks softly earning a strong whack to the stomach from Yaku.

"Don't ask them that, idiot, they're probably sick of hearing it," Suga stifles a giggle. "We come bearing gifts," The shorter boy then continues holding up a large clear container full of cookies that instantly make the other boys mouths water.

"Kenma was too scared to come, I think he was afraid to see you guys hurt so he and Bokuto made cookies and told us to tell you that they would come to visit soon," Lev says once again earning a smack from his teammate.

"Don't worry, Akaashi and Kuroo supervised," Yaku reassures as he opens the box of cookies and brings them forward.

Suga instantly goes about setting some aside for the rest of the team. while the other boys dig in. Daichi and Ennoshita share a small smile at Noya's excitement for the sugar as he practically leaps out of Asahi's lap to grab a cookie each for him and his boyfriend.

Across the hall, in the room that belonged to the remaining first years as well as Narita and Kinoshita, the residents of the room were being kept company by their managers, coach, teacher and Tanaka too.

Yamaguchi was sitting up on the bed still with Tsukishima, Yachi had let out a squeal of delight when she saw them together, and another when Tsukishima pressed a soft kiss to Yamaguchi's head. She was now sitting cross-legged on the end of the bed with Yamaguchi's injured foot up on her lap and Tsukishima's legs pressed up against the side of her thigh. Yamaguchi couldn't help but laugh as she stuck her tongue out in concentration as she did her best to draw something on the rough surface of the cast.

Ukai and Takeda were sitting side by side on the chairs by the bed telling the boys some of their own high school stories after somehow getting onto the topic. Tsukishima listened in shock as Takeda talked about how he once got caught smoking out behind the shed. Ukai, who he later told the rest of the story to was glad that he left at the fact that it was pot, not cigarettes that he was smoking.

On the bed across from them, Narita lay, eyes shut. He was attached to wires and beeping machines that served as a constant reminder of his condition. If it weren't for the machines and wires, and how completely still he looked, he could easily be mistaken for sleeping.

Tanaka and Kinoshita sat at his bedside, keeping up with the stories being told across the room. The latter of the two's attention was still primarily on Narita, hoping each time that the next time he looked at his face, his eyes would be open and he would be okay, only to be disappointed each time. Tanaka's focus was primarily on Kinoshita. He hadn't been able to remember much more, just odd memories here and there which the doctors told him was to be expected, but he could tell that this was hard for the other second year, probably harder than it was for anyone else. So he made sure to stay by his side, his arm pressed comfortingly against the other boy's as he shared in his sorrow.

He was startled when another figure blocked his view. It was the pretty girl with dark hair and glasses, he'd forgotten that she was even standing nearby.

"Hello," He says politely, ignoring the looks of shock he was getting. His attention was focussed entirely on the beautiful girl in front of him and he couldn't help but wish he remembered who she was.

"Tanaka," She says softly acknowledging him. "I know you probably don't remember me, I'm Kiyoko,"

"You're beautiful," He tells her without restraint. Somehow, complimenting her felt like a completely natural thing to do. Although, he did feel as though he was talking to a movie star, someone so out of this world that they're completely unobtainable. Someone you wouldn't even really want to try to obtain. Someone who was more like the moon on a clear night, to be admired and appreciated from the earth.

She gives him a small smile, the tiniest flicker of her lips and puts her hand gently on her shoulder. An action that was clearly not natural for the two of them.

"I'm glad you're okay," She tells him causing his heart to start beating unreasonably fast.

He takes a second to ground himself before tilting his head slightly to the left and looking up into her eyes. "Everyone thinks I'm in love with you but I'm not am I?" He finds himself asking.

It was odd to try to explain, but it felt as though, even though his memories weren't there, his emotions were. At first, he'd thought that the lurch in his heart when he saw Ennoshita when he first regained consciousness was just because, quite simply, he was a beautiful person, and yet here he was, with the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, this goddess, standing in front of him, touching his shoulder and the way his heart was beating and fluttering didn't even compare.

Kiyoko looks stunned for a moment before her face relaxes into its natural apathetic state. It was as if she was shocked that he was aware of this fact. "I do believe you love me, as I do you, but I do not believe you are or ever have been in love with me," she clarifies for him.

Tanaka looks up at her with a smile, grateful for her honesty. He hopes that they are friends, he believes they could be good friends.

His thoughts are interrupted when the door opens and Ennoshita, followed by two of the Nekoma players enter the room. Ennoshita's eyes sweep over him and Kiyoko, widening for a split second before his gaze is averted.

"Kenma and Bokuto cooked us cookies," He tells them all with exaggerated happiness and a smile that was just a fraction too big. No one but Tanaka seemed to notice.

He couldn't help but observe his teammate for the next little while, Kiyoko had moved to go stand by Yachi, looking over her shoulder and complimenting her artwork causing the blond to get incredibly flustered. Tanaka took a moment to appreciate how adorable the younger manager was before devoting his full attention to Chikara.

The other second year had come to stand behind Takeda, one hand resting on the teacher's chair, while the other boys, who Tanaka paid no attention to, had pulled up more chairs to crowed around the bed. To the untrained eye, it would appear that Ennoshita was paying full attention to the tall silver-haired boy's tale about a cat he and the shorter boy saw on their way here but the way his gaze kept flickering up to the window and his polite smile shook, told a different story.

He was dressed in soft blue pyjamas that his parents had brought for him. The pants were baggy and a little bit long with barely visible little white sheep printed sporadically across the material looking like they were dancing around his leg. The top was made of the same fabric, similarly too big so that the shoulders drooped with sleeves that came down covering his hands almost entirely except for the very tips of his fingers that curved around the fabric.

Tanaka didn't need to see his hands to know that they were strong callous hands, only a fraction larger than his own and always warm. Tanaka's own hands twitched with the sudden need to lace his fingers with the other boys. Or, better yet, to pull the other boy against him so that he could feel his solid chest against his own once more, and so that he could wrap his arms around him and feel the soft fabric that hung off Chikara's narrow frame.

Tanaka couldn't help but let his gaze linger on the other boy's arms, even if they were covered by the fabric. He knew that they appeared weak when in reality, he was easily the strongest out of all the second years, possibly the entire team.

His eyes travel upwards, taking note of Ennoshita's exposed collarbones but not letting his attention linger for too long, if he did, his mind would be filled with how much he wanted to press his lips and tongue to the milky skin.

His eyes continue upwards travelling slowly up his neck, stopping for a second to watch his Adam's apple bob as he swallows some food.

Tanaka's gaze finally settles on the Ennoshita's face. His usually neatly combed hair is sticking up and out in small tuffs that makes it look like he'd just gotten out of bed. Tanaka desperately wanted to go over there and run his fingers through the hair to comb it down, or make it messier, he hadn't actually decided which.

Ennoshita had a look of perpetual calmness on his face. It was a great comfort to the other second years but made it ten times scarier when he was angry. Right now, his attention was still turned away from Tanaka, having not noticed the attention on him.

Ennoshita had soft warm eyes that felt like home and a lazy but contagious smile. The calming energy that he had was always enough to placate even the most energetic of people. Ennoshita's eyes suddenly met his, neither boy looked away until Ennoshita's attention was drawn away by one of the first years.

Tanaka decided right then that once more of his memories came back to him, he would ask Chikara out on a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH I don't even know what to say about this,,, I think it'll be finishing soon ish? idk bro motivate me in the comments please :)


	29. Chapter 29

The days passed in the hospital slowly, and yet it felt like they had only just been rescued. Hinata refused to leave Kageyama's side for more than however long it took the boy to go to the bathroom and the Hospital staff were forced to comply. They had tried to force them into their own beds the second night but that only resulted in surprising tears from the shorter boy and angry glares from the taller one. In the end, Hinata had managed to sneak into Kageyama's bed and the staff were forced to give up.

Hinata hid from the world most of the time. When Kageyama tried to sit up and socialise, Hinata would maneuver himself to be sitting behind the taller boy, arms and legs wrapped around him like a koala on its mother's back. This was exactly how the two were positioned when Natsu came running in.

"Sho-chan!" The small girl squeals earning coos from her brother's teammates. Her mother was following hot on her tail, cheeks flushed from the effort.

Hinata looked up from where his face was hidden in the back of Kageyama's shirt, his lips splitting into a large grin.

On the other side of the room, Suga smiled. He'd missed seeing his small Kouhi's sunshine-like expressions.

Natsu was happily lifted up onto the bed and into Kageyama's lap as the two boys were pulled into a crushing hug by the two Hinata women.

The young setter found himself trapped between two over-energetic, talkative orange-haired kids as they happily conversed about the movies Natsu had watched, and the books Hinata HAD to read to her now that he was back. Hinata's mother gave him a sympathetic look but at that moment, Kageyama couldn't think of a single place he'd rather be.

___

Daichi was happily lazing next to Suga's bed as the other boy gently trailed his hands over his now bald head, carefully avoiding the bandage that hid where the surgeons had cut him open. It was nice and relaxing, until the door all but slammed open and Kuroo sashayed in dramatically.

His dramatic entrance was mellowed out slightly as kenma's small hand was fisted in the back of his captain's jacket. The shorter boy didn't even look up from the phone held in his free hand to roll his eyes dramatically at his friend's antics.

Bokuto and Akaashi followed not far behind them, entering in a much more calm manner.

"Daichi, I'm loving the new look," Kuroo says gesturing to his own wild hair with a snicker. Daichi sends him a glare while Suga just chuckles.

Akaashi follows Kuroo over to the third years while the other two make their way to Hinata and Kageyama. Hinata happily gives them his winning smile and makes conversation with Bokuto while Kenma pulls out one of his games, sitting forward and leaning on the bed so that his hands were resting against Hinata's ankles beneath the sheets.

Kuroo and Daichi manage to bicker for an entire hour while Suga and Akaashi sit together gossiping quietly about their teammates.

___

Shimada Makoto came for a while to bring Yamaguchi some chocolates and 'get well soon,' balloons.

___

Nishinoya's grandfather is not surprised to see his small grandson happily chatting away as if there's no tomorrow. He was however surprised to see him doing so while a much larger man was curled sleepily in his lap.

His eyebrows climbed almost up to his receding hairline when the older boy, Azumane Asahi, was introduced to him as "My boyfriend," by an uncharacteristically nervous libro.

Asahi had floundered around for a moment, cheeks flushed pink at the position they were in. "It's nice to meet you Nishinoya-san," The ace says standing up to bow to the man but unable to hide how much his nerves were making him shake.

Nishinoya Mineo smiles a smile so much like his grandsons before pulling the tall boy into a hug. "It's nice to finally meet you to Azumane-Kun,"

Yu isn't surprised at all when not half an hour later, his grandfather and his boyfriend were hunched over a Sudoku game bonding over the 'old man games' as Noya liked to call them.

___

Hinata had finally left Kageyama's side for a little while, going to sit with the other first years while the setter got his wrist re-examined by the doctor.

Kageyama felt odd without the almost overwhelming warmth that Hinata's presence brought to him. It took him a total of ten minutes to decide he didn't like it. He was trying to politely hurry the doctor along -the politeness clearly not working judging by Daichi's scolding expression- when the door burst open, not unlike how it had at Kuroo's entrance.

"Tobio-chan! your wrist! Doc will he ever play volleyball again?" Oikawa exclaims dramatically as his eyes land on his former protege. He sounded surprisingly sincere under all the dramatics. "Mr refreshing, Sawamura," He greats the rooms other occupants briefly.

"Yes of course he'll play again," The doctor says causing the Aoba Johsai captain to let out a relieved sigh. "It's just a sprain, he's just got to let it rest," She says giving the boys a pointed look before leaving the room.

"What are you doing here?" Kageyama asks only then noticing that Oikawa wasn't the only one who'd entered the room. Iwaizumi was standing directly behind him, arms crossed but a look of concern on his face while Kinimi and Kindaichi stand quietly behind the two older boys.

"Are you really okay Kageyama?" Kindaichi asks as if his presence alone wasn't shocking enough to the setter.

Kageyama nods in response earning a simple and decisive "Good," from Kinimi, "Oikawa, we're going to head off, we've got other things to do today,"

Iwaizumi was the only one who noticed the relieved slump of their shoulders, Kageyama just looked at them confused as to why they'd visited at all. "You gave us quite the scare Kageyama-Kun," Iwaizumi tells the boy and Oikawa nods in agreement, face turning momentarily uncharacteristically serious. "You even had this idiot promising the gods that he'll teach you anything you want if you come out of this alive,"

Oikawa flushes a deep red but doesn't deny his friend's claims.

"Really?" Kageyama asks eyes wide with awe not unlike when he'd first played on the team with the older boy.

"Even that super cool WHOOSH BAM serve?" Hinata's excited voice rings out from the doorway. "Oh great king you have to teach him that one! then we'll truly be unstoppable!" the small ball of energy bounds into the room planting himself right in Kageyama's lap facing the two Seijoh third years.

"Chibi-chan!" Oikawa says excitedly, revelling in the praise.

Oikawa and Iwaizumi don't stay for too much longer but when they do leave, it's with the promise to meet up with both Kageyama and Hinata -who Oikawa couldn't help but grow fonder of with every compliment and look of awe- to practice volleyball once they were all healed up.

___

"Do you think you'll be able to learn Oikawa's crazy serve? I mean, it looks super hard," Hinata asks partially teasing as he lay on his side facing Kageyama, their breaths mingling in the almost non-existent space between them.

"Idiot Hinata, of course, I can," the taller boy says lifting his hand up to the orange hair to pull at it in revenge only to pull his wrist back to his chest in pain. Hinata gently grabs his partners injured wrist and pulls it towards him, pressing his lips softly to the bandage. "i-idiot what are you doing,"

"My mum kisses me to make my scrapes and cuts feel better, I'm helping to make your wrist feel better," The boy says with a smile that is radiant even in the darkened room. Kageyama turns to his pillow in an attempt to hide his blush despite how hard it would be to see in the dark.

"idiot... thanks,"

"G'night Kageyama,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for the one month and one day anniversary of me starting this fic :) this was going to be longer but I just really wanted to write the next part so enjoy! remember comments and Kudos motivate me! I am but a simple woman


	30. Chapter 30

It was the first match of the year, it had been a few months since what was now referred only to as 'the incident'. Ennoshita was the team captain now, with Tanaka as his vice. The new first years looked up to the two just as much as the previous first years had looked up to Daichi and Suga, this was something that regularly made Tanaka puff out his chest in pride while the other second and third years rolled their eyes fondly.

Both Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were healed well enough to play again, not without the stern directions to swap out if they needed to, Kageyama and Hinata were just as invested in volleyball as they'd ever been, if not more so, Nishinoya was just as determined to not let a ball drop to the floor as ever before, if not more so as he trained one of the new first years to follow in his footsteps. Kinoshita's arm was perfectly healed as he cheered his team on from the bench.

Asahi, Suga and Daichi, having finished high school, were in the stands, nostalgia weighing heavily alongside the happiness of seeing almost everyone playing together and okay.

Things were different now. Even if to outside eyes, everyone looked back to normal, the team knew that that would never be true.

You could see it in the way that Yamaguchi began limping after overexerting himself despite his foot physically being healed and in the way that even though Tsukishima's insults were still thrown around like dollars at a strip club, they were no longer laced with the same malice that he once used to protect himself from growing attached. You could see it in the way Kageyama would rush to Hinata's side after being away from him for long periods of time; although apparently, the setter considered the few hours they were in classes to be a long period of time. To an outsider, they would just look like an overly affectionate couple, at the start, the rest of the team thought their constant need to be near each other was for Hinata's comfort. When Kageyama had a panic attack in the changing rooms because Hinata wasn't there yet, wasn't where he was meant to be, they saw that that wasn't the truth.

Since coming to that realisation, no one commented on their constant need to be near each other.

You could see how things had changed when Hinata would fuss over every little scratch or bruise, a newly ingrained need to ensure any and every injury wouldn't be life-threatening. You could see it in how everyone else let him do so.

You could see it in how Nishinoya would get quiet sometimes, stuck in his own mind, or how he would wake up in the middle of the night gasping for breath as images of his team dead in a crumpled school bus plagued his dreams. You could see it in the guilty sad way that Tanaka often found himself shaking his head when someone said "remember when..." his memories having not fully returned. Majority of them had and according to the doctors, this was best-case scenario. The rest of his still-missing memories are most likely lost forever.

You could see it in how Ennoshita lead the team, a skill he was forced to hone in a terrifying situation but one that meant he was able to become the best captain he could possibly be.

You could see it in how the third years came back to watch every match, Daichi and Suga's hands intertwined. And how the three of them would often pile into one bed in their new shared apartment after a nightmare or exhausting day.

You could see it in how none of them were afraid to ask for help from one another, in how a strong bond had formed between them all.

You could see it in how Kinoshita sat on the sidelines in every match, dressed in his uniform and all healed but refusing to play.

But mostly, you could see how the effects of the events were still present in the yet unclaimed jersey branded with the number 8. You could see it in the lingering looks filled with worry that each team member gave the unused locker in the change room.

You could see it in the way that every member of the team visited the hospital at least once a week to see Narita, still and lifeless, pale gaunt skin almost blending into the white sheets with less, but still far too many, wires attaching him to the machines currently keeping him alive.

Watching them right now, as Hinata leaps into the air ready to spike only for the ball to be smashed down by Tanaka for the final point, they seemed like normal kids.

Their joyfully screams echoed through the gym as they celebrated as if they'd already won nationals and tears trailed down every one of their faces. Their joy lasts long into the night as they make their way to get celebratory food, the old third years tagging along with the team. Suga carried Hinata on his hip like a child as the energetic orange-haired boy's legs had been shaking from exertion. Asahi and Nishinoya's intertwined hands swung dramatically between them and Daichi, Ennoshita and Yamaguchi stood not far away from them happily gossiping about the skills of the new first years. The pride in Daichi's eyes shone bright as he watched Ennoshita talk to Yamaguchi in a similar way to how he himself had spoken to Ennoshita the year prior. Like a captain speaking to his protege.

They bid the young first years farewell and began to make their way, almost instinctively, as one to the hospital. The mood had quickly mellowed as a silence fell upon them. Not even Hinata tried to break it.

"Hey Kazuhito, the whole team is here to see you," Kinoshita says with a slight shake to his voice as he sits on the bed by the other boys hip. Everyone crowds around the bed, shoulders pressed together in an almost comforting way.

"We won our match today, remember how I was telling you the other day?" Tanaka says hesitantly. "I hit the final spike and man it was so epic, all the first years were in awe, kind of like how we were the first time we saw Asahi spike,"

"You only got such. a good spike because Hinata drew their blockers with his decoy," Tsukishima points out smugly pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"I thought Kageyama was actually going to set to me," Hinata grumbles from his place squished between Suga and Kageyama.

"Dumbass Hinata, did you not see me sign that I was going to set to Tanaka?" Kageyama points out.

"Yes but I still wanted to spike the ball!"

Tsukishima rolled his eyes before interrupting the duos bickering. "Yamaguchi got to stay on for a full rotation this time," The blond says, a hint of pride just barely audible under his put on bored tone. Yamaguchi beams at the praises. If anyone was surprised by the fact that Tsukishima was also talking as if Narita would listen and respond, they didn't show it.

"Yeah, and he made some really good saves, if I wasn't as awesome as I am, I might have thought he was gunning for my position!" Noya says almost managing to hit Asahi with his flaming arms as he talks excitedly. Asahi's dodge was one of practised perfection.

They continued to talk happily about the game as if simply filling Narita in on what he missed even if the lingering worry made it difficult for them to pretend.

"Kinoshita sweetheart, you're here again?" A woman in a nurse uniform says as her eyes land on the teenager. her hair was greying at the temples and soft wrinkles framed the corners of her eyes and lips in. away that indicated a lifetime of smiles. Her eyes were filled with worry as they landed on the boy.

Kinoshita had visited the hospital every single day, far more than anyone else in the team had. He had fallen asleep on the chair by the bed or even on the bed itself, curled up to his friend. There had been many times that the nurse had chosen to let him stay and sleep instead of informing him that visiting hours were over and to go home.

The boy had been there more often than Narita's own family though he did seem to get along well with the elder Narita couple.

"Hello Sato-san, we thought we'd tell Narita about our game today," Kinoshita replies with a sad smile.

"Yeah, we were hoping the idiot would hear what he was missing out on and come back," Noya adds cheekily causing a few chuckles to echo around the room.

"Ah, I see, well visiting hours are over now so I'm afraid it's time for you all to head home, I'm sure you're all exhausted, it sounds like you've had an eventful day," the nurse says with a kind smile. As if on cue, Ennoshita lets out a small yawn. Being captain was tiring after all.

"Alright, are you all still coming over to ours?" Daichi asks although he already knows the answer. "We've already got the futons set up in the living room,"

The others happily follow the older boy, Kinoshita stopping just for a moment to do the same thing he'd done every night. He leans down to press a kiss to his friend's forehead and whispers "Please wake up soon,"

Before leaving, he turns to the nurse, just like he'd done every night prior, "Let me know if anything happens,"

A silence settles over them all, following them to the two-bedroom apartment shared by the former third years. It was only broken by the newly minted second years as they argued over what movie to put on and Tsukishima tried to subtly convince them to put 'Jurassic park' on.

They ended up in a pile in the middle of the blankets pillows and matrices that had been dragged in front of the tv, Tsukishima and Kageyama in the centre pressed up against each other while Hinata sat between Kageyama's legs with his back flush against the setters chest and Yamaguchi sat curled against Tsukishima's side.

Suga came and claimed the space next to Kageyama wrapping an arm around the younger boy who happily leant into the touch. Daichi lay down by Suga's legs, letting his head fall into his boyfriend's lap.

Kinoshita lay down on his stomach next to Yamaguchi and Asahi follows laying close enough that his shoulder is brushing the other boys in silent comfort. Noya of course decided that the perfect place to lay would be right on top of the two other boys.

"Why don't Chikara and I get some snacks while you guys get the movie started, we've both seen this one already anyway," Tanaka says, the slight nervous lilt in his voice only noticeable to those paying attention.

Unfortunately for Tanaka, Chikara was always paying attention.

"What's wrong?" The now captain asks the second they are out of hearing range.

Tanaka doesn't even look surprised at being called out. "I need to tell you something really important," he replies quietly, a rare serious expression clouding his features.

Ennoshita gives him a curious and hesitant nod letting him know he has his full attention.

"I had an appointment the other day, had to get a brain scan and stuff. Um basically... Basically, they said that if I haven't remembered things by now I probably never will," Ennoshitas eyes go wide but Tanaka continues. "And I haven't, I mean there's still gaps but that's not- well, I told myself I would tell you once I got my memories back but since this is as close as I'm ever going to get,"

He pauses and Ennoshita stays quiet both to process what he was hearing and also to not interrupt Tanaka, he knew that if he did, it's likely the courage he built will crumble and then Chikara would never get to hear the rest.

"I don't remember our first meeting, but I remember the first time I saw Shimizu, I remember thinking she was a goddess on earth, that she was beautiful, that she was perfect," Ennoshita ignores the harsh pang in his chest. "I don't remember how we met but... I do remember falling in love with you. It was slow, so slow I didn't even notice it. I thought I was in love with Shimizu because she's perfect but, well, that's the thing, isn't it? True love isn't seeing someone and not seeing their faults, it's seeing them and accepting their faults and loving them anyway,"

Ennoshita takes a step forward, an action that goes unnoticed by Tanaka as he's too busy staring at his feet.

"I look at you, and I know you're not perfect, you get grumpy when you don't sleep and sometimes you're too quiet for your own good and and and you don't believe in yourself like you should! these are all imperfections, I mean they aren't even that bad really but they make you who you are and I love you and any and all of your faults and I understand if you don't feel the same, if you were just being nice but-" Tanaka's sentence was interrupted by a soft pair of lips which was truly for the best because otherwise, the spiker might have continued talking until the next morning.

"I love you too you idiot," Ennoshita says when he pulls away. Tanaka slumps against him in relief. "Oh thank god," he mutters causing his captain to laugh.

They finally grab some snacks and head back to the living room only to be greeted with knowing looks and a movie that was far closer to the end than the start. But it was okay and by one in the morning, everyone was fast asleep.

Until around three in the morning when Kinoshita's phone started blaring loud enough to wake the whole apartment complex.

"Hello?" He answers groggily. Asahi and Noya who were closest to him sitting up to listen in out of curiosity.

"Kinoshita-Kun? Its nurse Sato. I told you I'd call if anything happens," The volleyballer was suddenly sitting up straight, eyes as wide as plates shining in the moonlight. "He's awake, kid, your friend is going to be okay,"

Kinoshita lets out a watery sound, an odd mix between a giggle and a laugh which draws the attention of his teammates. "He's awake? he's really awake?" He croaks into his phone.

"Yeah kid, he is. He's just fallen asleep again but he'll be awake in a couple of hours, you can come to see him then, get some sleep, it's all okay now," They say their quick goodbyes before hanging up and when Kinoshita drops his phone to the bed, coming face to face with his team he lets out another watery disbelieving laugh.

"He's awake, it's all okay now," He repeats the phrase.

The room was soon filled with happy tears as a weight lifted off of each and every one of their chests.

Finally, it was all okay. Finally, they could say that everyone was safe. Finally, they survived.

What are the odds of that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruh,,,, BRUHHH WE DONE ONE MONTH AND 10 DAYS AND THIS IS WHAT WE GOT. lol I hope you enjoyed, all feedback is appreciated feedback comment what you thought, and sorry for any mistakes, I literally wrote this whole thing with 0 notes 0 plan and half the time 0 recollection of what I'd already written :)


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